If any headlines come out of voluntary OTAs for an NFL team like the Chicago Bears, it's often about a notable player who isn't present for whatever reason. While good work can be done, there's only so much that can be gleaned from practice without pads.
Wide receiver Rome Odunze added some juice to the Bears' OTAs when he acknowledged his injured foot from last season might never be the same. It is easy to focus on the headline-making words he used while missing what he said about how he's managing the injury, but alarm bells went off everywhere.
It's easy to jump to worst-case scenarios regarding Odunze, since foot injuries can be a recurring issue. It's also worth wondering if the Bears, if their concern level is high enough, now need to add a veteran wide receiver. On the latter note, there are some interesting available free agent options
Bears analyst asks question every fan has in wake of Rome Odunze's comments
During a recent appearance on 104.3 The Score's "Rahimi, Harris and Grote", CHSN Bears analyst Clay Harbor talked about Odunze.
"I was gonna ask you guys, are you concerned about this receiver room?", Harbor said.
Harbor then offered his assessment of how Odunze looked during a recent OTA practice he attended.
"He's not in an out of his breaks as quick as some of the other guys, and that could just because he's 6-3, 210 pounds; he's a bigger guy. But when you tell me your foot is injured, and it's never gonna be the same again, to me that's extremely concerning."
As the conversation went on, making reference to Odunze's "new normal" comment regarding his foot, Harbor landed on the question that is now on the mind of every Bears fan, as he also anointed Luther Burden as the team's No. 1 wide receiver.
"If Rome goes down for any reason, his foot, who's your No. 2? You got Zavian Thomas, you got Kalif Raymond, you got Jahdae Walker, who was impressive...but do you want him as a No. 2 receiver?"
Harbor practically made a casual reference to the foot as a reason Odunze could miss time. Kinesiologists may also tell you the injured foot "never being the same" increases the risk of injury to interconnected body parts, so the exercises/rehab Odunze said he's doing could also be aimed at mitigating that risk.
Read more: Bears' beat writer isn't too concerned (yet) about Rome Odunze's foot situation
In any case, as Bears' fans wonder the same thing, Harbor has put the question about the WR2 spot if Odunze misses time into the public ether,
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