Bears WR Rome Odunze given fresh warning ahead of training camp

Expectations among many Chicago Bears fans regarding what the team can achieve this season with head coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams leading the way are sky high. 

Meanwhile, Bears wide receiver and 2024 first-round draft pick Rome Odunze will be looking to produce a bounce-back campaign later this fall. On Thursday, Courtney Cronin of ESPN explained why Odunze is among a handful of Bears players with the "most at stake for training camp." 

According to the NFL's website, veteran Bears players are due to report for training camp on July 28.

Rome Odunze will be tasked with establishing himself as Chicago's new WR1

"With DJ Moore gone and his targets up for grabs," Cronin wrote, "Odunze has a big opportunity to establish himself as WR1, a role he was on track for in 2025 before a stress fracture in his left foot derailed his second season. He still finished as Caleb Williams' most targeted receiver (90), tied for the team lead with six touchdowns and third in receiving yards (661), but it was far from the season he envisioned for himself after tearing up training camp last August."

Odunze's stats from his second pro campaign look even more impressive due to the fact that he appeared in just 12 regular-season games. However, Cronin noted that fellow Bears receiver and 2025 second-round draft pick Luther Burden III will also be "eyeing the distinction as the Bears' top wideout" later this year. 

ESPN stats show that Burden ended the 2025 regular season ranked third on the Bears with 47 receptions and fourth with 652 receiving yards. Over 15 games, he tallied a pair of receiving touchdowns. 

What Rome Odunze will have to show to opposing defenses early into the season

A recent video seemed to show Odunze moving well amid his ongoing recovery. That said, he will likely have plenty of questions to answer about his health when Chicago opens the upcoming season with a game at the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 13. 

"Odunze's foot has healed without having to undergo surgery, but whether he looks like the same explosive, contested-catch type of player that he was prior to injury will be monitored closely," Cronin added.