The expectation has always been that Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze was going to eventually step into the WR1 role, and it appears that is now a reality for the Windy City.
It could be argued that if it hadn't been for his foot injury in the second half of the season, Odunze would probably have finished as the leading receiver and potentially hit 1,000 yards. Well, with DJ Moore now gone, it appears that it is officially Odunze's time to take that number one role, and he isn't shying away from it.
"Oh, I'm ready for it," Odunze said via ESPN's Courtney Cronin. "I'm 100% confident in it."
Let's make it clear: Rome Odunze is WR1 on the Bears in 2026
Last season, Odunze finished with 44 receptions for 661 yards and six touchdowns, but missed five games with a foot injury. That injury was there even before he sat out the last month of the season; it was reported that he had been dealing with it weeks earlier, which caused his performance to drop.
Going into 2026, Moore isn't going to command those targets anymore with him in Buffalo as a Bill, so that leaves Odunze, Luther Burden III, and Colston Loveland to pick up the slack on those targets. Burden has been getting a ton of buzz out of OTAs, and Loveland is expected to make another leap in Year 2, but Odunze might have the most pressure on him.
Odunze has more chemistry with Bears quarterback Caleb Williams than the other two do, so there is more potential for the third-year wide receiver to have a huge season. There is nothing holding him back, as he has shown himself to be a great receiver in the short and intermediate pass game, as well as a great route runner with sure hands.
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While Williams has his own pressure in Year 3 as the Bears QB, outside of him, Odunze might have the most pressure to step up and play well, as he's got a chance to prove he is the top wide receiver on the team, as he's playing to have his fifth-year option picked up after the season.
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