Just one day before the Chicago Bears play their first regular season game against the Carolina Panthers, they made some quick moves that could mean bad news for Rome Odunze.
The Bears announced that they have signed quarterback Miller Moss to the practice squad. They then elevated Moss and wide receiver Kaden Davis to the active roster. Defensive back Keidron Smith was also released from the practice squad.
Bears backup quarterback Tyson Bagent has been dealing with a back injury, so this move probably means Moss is going to be QB3 and Bagent will be inactive. As for what Davis' elevation means, it could be bad news for Odunze as well.
Bears trending in the direction of not having Rome Odunze in Week 1
Odunze suffered a calf injury last week before the Labor Day weekend break. He has been limited throughout practice this week, but Bears head coach Ben Johnson made a comment saying that "it's a long season," which indicated that Chicago was considering making Odunze inactive.
Last year, Odunze missed the last month of the 2025 regular season with a foot injury that bothered him for most of the campaign. He returned for the playoffs, but he was never 100% there.
Entering training camp, Odunze was feeling as healthy as he ever had. It was all looking good for him to finally have a 1,000-yard season and truly take over the WR1 job.
This could be a major setback. Even if Odunze plays, Davis's elevation suggests they may be preparing to play Kalif Raymond or Zavion Thomas more often. Davis could help on special teams, while the other two focus on offense.
Chicago hopes to have Odunze ready to play, but it doesn't look good for the Bears. They will have to lean on Luther Burden III and Raymond to be the top two receivers. Colston Loveland could be the number one target in the passing game for Caleb Williams as well.
This could end up being a very different-looking Bears offense than the team would have liked against the Panthers, but it's still so good. They have depth with young talent at receiver, a top-tier backfield, and an offensive line that can carry the load.
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Johnson's comment about it being a long season reflects the right mindset for Odunze and is why leaving him out of the game isn't a bad idea. The inactive list will tell the full story soon enough.
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