The Chicago Bears got some welcome news on the injury front Wednesday when Rome Odunze was left off the team’s first injury report ahead of Week 2.
Odunze dealt with a calf injury throughout last week’s preparation and was listed as questionable before ultimately playing against the Carolina Panthers – He caught two passes for 52 yards on three targets in Chicago’s 59-37 win.
Now, his name isn’t on the injury report at all. That’s a pretty significant change for a receiver the Bears expect to be an important part of Caleb Williams’ offense, especially after Odunze showed in Week 1 that he can make an impact without seeing a huge target share.
Rome Odunze appears to be past the calf issue
Rome Odunze’s injury situation was one of the bigger questions surrounding the Chicago Bears going into Week 1.
The third year receiver suffered the calf injury in practice the previous week and was limited in all three practices leading up to the opener. Head coach Ben Johnson said before Friday’s practice that the team was evaluating Odunze while keeping the long season in mind.
Odunze ultimately suited up and didn’t appear to have much trouble making an impact… His 47 yard reception accounted for most of his 52 receiving yards, and he finished second on the team in receiving yards despite getting only three targets.
That makes Wednesday’s report even more encouraging. The Bears didn’t list Odunze as limited. They didn’t list him as a full participant either. He didn’t appear on the list of players dealing with an injury.
Chicago still has several players working through issues, including Kyle Monangai, Malik Muhammad, D’Andre Swift, Ozzy Trapilo and Xavier Woods. Odunze, however, isn’t among them.
The Bears could have more planned for Odunze
The Chicago Bears scored 59 points against Carolina, and they did it without needing Rome Odunze to become the focal point of the passing game – That’s encouraging for Ben Johnson’s offense but it also leaves plenty of room for Odunze’s role to grow.
A fully healthy Odunze gives Caleb Williams another legitimate option to attack defenses vertically. And the Bears now have a full week to prepare him for Minnesota without the calf issue hanging over his status.
That could matter more than the Week 1 box score suggests.
Odunze entered the season as one of the most important young pieces of Chicago’s offense after the Bears selected him ninth overall in 2024. He and Williams came into the league together, and the Bears have continued to view Odunze as a major part of the team’s long term plans.
Now he gets a chance to start Week 2 without an injury designation.
The Bears don’t need to force anything with Odunze after the way the offense performed Sunday. Johnson can get Odunze more involved against the Vikings if the receiver has moved past the calf issue…
After all, Odunze already showed in Week 1 that he doesn’t need many opportunities to make a big play. A healthier version of him could give Chicago’s offense another problem for opposing defenses to deal with.
Bears Get Rome Odunze Injury Update Ahead of Week 2