The Chicago Bears showed they were desperate to get Rome Odunze during every behind-the-scenes clip released. GM Ryan Poles was even willing to trade up to #6 with New York for him. However, thanks to some insistence from assistant GM Ian Cummings, the Bears stayed patient and got him at #9. There is no question they envision a bright future with him at wide receiver, catching tons of passes from Caleb Williams. However, that could prove more challenging this season. It isn’t because Odunze isn’t ready. It’s more the situation above him.
Having D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen in the same receiver room will make it difficult for the Bears to get Odunze the football a lot. He will still get targets, but those two, along with Cole Kmet, mean it will be fewer than normal. That means the coaches may have to get creative at finding ways to put the ball in his hands. It appears they were serious about one method. Odunze was spotted working with the punt return unit, further suggesting he is in legitimate consideration for that job.
Weapons are weapons, regardless of where and when they touch the football. Plenty of great wide receivers throughout history were punt returners at some point. Julian Edelman and Tim Brown are two prominent examples. There is no reason to think Odunze can’t handle the responsibilities, especially if his targets will be lower on offense. Supplementing that with return opportunities is perfectly logical. The Bears deserve credit for having the open-mindedness to consider such a course.
Whether Rome Odunze wins the job is another story. He doesn’t have a lot of experience. One of his three returns last year went for a touchdown. There could be untapped potential. However, they do have other options. Veteran DeAndre Carter has way more experience at the job. Dante Pettis does as well. They are the primary obstacles for Odunze to overcome. It will be interesting to see if the team gives him legitimate chances in the preseason next month. That would be a clear signal of how serious it’s getting.
