"LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze had not caught a touchdown in weeks, and his rookie season was coming to a close. This was not what the No. 9 overall selection in the 2024 draft had envisioned. He had gone from a Washington team whose only loss in 2023 was in the CFP National Championship Game to a Bears team that lost 10 straight en route to a 5-12 finish."
"As a rookie, Odunze finished third on the Bears in targets (101), receptions (54), receiving yards (734) and touchdowns in a crowded receivers room. When the Bears let Keenan Allen walk in free agency, a seismic shift was beginning. It was one that DJ Moore saw coming for months. "We were the alphas (in the receivers room), but you could tell he was like Simba," Moore said. "He was ready to roar.""
Rome Odunze entered the NFL following a decorated college career and endured a difficult rookie season in 2024, finishing third on the Bears in targets (101), receptions (54), receiving yards (734) and touchdowns amid a crowded receiver room. Odunze maintained confidence and resilience despite the team's 5-12 finish and personal frustrations. During the 2025 offseason he learned a new offense under coach Ben Johnson and developed into the Bears' No. 1 receiver paired with quarterback Caleb Williams. Odunze led the team in targets (46), receptions (24), yards (359) and touchdowns (5) midway through the season.
Read at ESPN.com
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