Rome Odunze doesn’t want to be your No. 3 receiver — even if, by any measure, he’ll start the season as just that for the Bears.
“We just talked about that a week ago,” Bears receivers coach Chris Beatty said after Wednesday’s practice. “’Hey, don’t get comfortable being in that role. Like, you should be trying to take these guys’ spots.’”
The Bears just gave DJ Moore the richest contract in franchise history, in terms of annual value, and traded for six-time Pro Bowl player Keenan Allen in March. Despite Odunze’s resume — he led all major college football players in receiving yards last year before the Bears picked him ninth overall — he won’t be close to the focal point of the Bears’ offense.
Rather, the Bears want him to learn from the two receivers — “They're probably annoyed with me, all the things I ask them about,” Odunze said this week — without deferring to them.
“They have such unique traits to be able to do so many different things, and the comfortability to get open on any given route,” Odunze said. “Just learning those things and the different nuances that they do within a route and catching the ball that I try and emulate.
“Gotta find my own style within that as well.”
Odunze can start doing that Saturday against the Bills — provided that coach Matt Eberflus decides to play his regulars for the first time this year. Eberflus will announce who he intends to start Thursday, and the answer is closely related to the health of the offensive line. He’s already acknowledged the value of the Bears’ young players — including Odunze and quarterback Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick — getting playing time in something other than practice.
“I’m just looking forward to him getting out and playing and then building a rapport with the quarterback,” Beatty said. “He and Caleb, they already got it off the field, but we want to make sure we build it up. The games are different. The speed is different. He needs that maybe more than DJ and Keenan need it.”
On any other team, Odunze’s debut would be the most anticipated one on the team. With Williams in the fold, though, Odunze can stay under the radar.
“You can drop him anywhere in the country and he’d be able to survive and thrive,” Beatty said. “But I do think it helps to have guys to learn from and not have all the pressure of being the franchise pick.”
Allen already considers Odunze a better rookie than he was in 2013, when he had 1,046 receiving yards for the then-San Diego Chargers.
“He’s polished,” Allen said. “You don’t have to teach him how to play receiver. … Now all he has to do is learn the offense, versus he's got to learn how to get lined up and release and do this. He already knows how to do that.
“Give him the play and watch him work. So, he’s good. “
Odunze carries the confidence of a player that led the Pac-12 in receiving in each of his last two seasons at Washington. As a rookie, he doesn’t always show it.
“He’s got some ‘dog,’” Beatty said. “He’s a quiet ‘dog.’ He’s not one of those guys that’s woofing really loud. But when it comes time to get that bone, he’s gonna make sure he’s in there to get it. He’s going to make sure he can capitalize on all his opportunities.”
Moore and Allen don’t need the extra work this preseason. Odunze does — and the Bears hope that’s all the opportunity he needs.
“It’s tough and it’s competitive, for sure,” Odunze said, “But there’s nothing out there where it’s like, ‘Man, this is gonna be too much to overcome.’”
