Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams wasn't the only rookie last year on the team who had a disappointing debut, but he still has plenty of upside for a monster 2025 season.
Bleacher Report writer Damian Parson named five second-year wide receivers that are poised for a breakout season, with Rome Odunze making the list. The changes to the coaching staff and wide receiver room have given Odunze the tools needed for a better year.
"Rome Odunze's rookie season was good, not great. For a top ten pick in the draft, expectations may have been a little over the top. He did not enter a receiving room like Malik Nabers or Marvin Harrison Jr, where he was the unquestioned WR1 in the room. The Bears paired Odunze with DJ Moore, Cole Kmet at tight end, and veteran receiver Keenan Allen. There were a lot of mouths to feed for rookie quarterback, Caleb Williams.
Factoring in the porous coaching we all witnessed last year, a lot did not go in Odunze's favor. Now, Ben Johnson is the new head coach and offensive mastermind coming from NFC North rivals, the Detriot Lions. This offense is surely going to look and operate cleaner and more crisp with a confident second-year quarterback at the helm.
Odunze should be the Bears' WR1 for the foreseeable future. His ability to play all of the receiver positions to create unique matchups for exploitation should help Williams with pre-snap coverage recognition. Odunze finished his rookie campaign with 54 receptions, 734 yards, and three touchdowns. Not a bad season for the rookie. This statline is a key reason, he is a breakout candidate."
Odunze has the potential to be one of the best receivers in the NFL
It's a bold statement to make, but Odunze's talent is so impressive that it would make Bears fans excited. He was building a nice relationship with Williams on the field, as Odunze was targeted 101 times in 2024. The versatility Parson talked about, with Odunze being able to line up anywhere on the field to catch the ball, makes new head coach Ben Johnson dangerous with the plays that can be called.
The problem in Odunze's game is that, despite being targeted 101 times, he only caught 54 of them. This results in a 53.5% catch rate, which is relatively low. Chicago needs to see improvement out of Odunze in that category as he had six dropped passes. Way too much to have.
Odunze and Moore will be the top receivers, but it'll be interesting to see how many targets they will get. Kmet, Colston Loveland, and Luther Burden III are also going to be involved in the offense. Johnson loves his tight ends, which opens the door for Kmet and Loveland to be more included on pass plays.
Read more: NFL writer has one imperative question regarding Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams
Chicago drafted Odunze ninth overall last year with the idea that he and Williams can be the top QB-WR pairing on the team for a long time. The expectations for those two are higher than ever in 2025. It's time for Odunze to shine in the Windy City.