When Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze did not participate in OTAs last week, there was some concern that the hamstring injury he suffered during rookie mini-camp earlier this month may linger for the duration of the offseason.
Matt Eberflus told reporters at the end of last week that Odunze would return to OTAs this week and a highlight shared by the team on Thursday confirms the rookie was indeed back practicing.
We could get used to this 🤩 pic.twitter.com/Ps02poArjz
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) May 30, 2024
This is the exact play that many Bears fans were dreaming of when the Bears selected Odunze and Caleb Williams in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Odunze is a deep-ball specialist that can take the top off a defense and that is a tremendous asset for Williams to have in his rookie season.
It would have been premature to be overly concerned about Odunze's hamstring injury as all indications is that it was more of a precaution and he certainly looked healthy on Thursday.
Rome Odunze's injury concerns can be put to bed.
What's important to remember is that the Bears are in the voluntary portion of their offseason program. There will be players absent from time-to-time and that does not indicate an injury. In Odunze's case, the team confirmed he was dealing with hamstring tightness after rookie mini-camp.
It's also important to note that the Bears' beat reporters were not present at Halas Hall on Thursday. The Bears' beat will be present on Friday and it will be curious to see the reports that emerged. Williams and the Bears' offense struggled last week when the media was in attendance, causing some to overanalyze what OTA practices mean.