Latest news with #Odunze
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Odunze talks Bears offense, connection with Williams
Mastering new head coach Ben Johnson's offense is something Odunze said will take time, but the receiver is already feeling comfortable in it, and said he will be ready to do whatever is asked of him.
USA Today
21-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
5 Bears players who need a strong training camp
Chicago Bears training camp is upon us, and with the offseason mostly in the rearview mirror, it's time to get to work. It's been an impactful offseason for the Bears. They won the Ben Johnson sweepstakes, fixed their offensive line, and have added some nice players to both sides of the ball. However, they don't have all of their holes fixed. No team has a truly perfect roster, but the best teams mask any slight issues with their strengths elsewhere. Chicago still has a long way to go before they're a title contender. Coming into training camp, there are a handful of players who can help further the team. That will happen if they either develop into the players they were drafted to be or if they have bounce-back seasons. These are the five players who fit that narrative at this point. Caleb Williams Caleb Williams is coming into his second training camp with some pressure on him. The Bears need him to take a significant step forward, and it all starts with a strong summer. Not only has Chicago given him one of the brightest offensive minds to develop him, but they've also continued to make him a top priority. That includes overhauling the interior offensive line with the additions of Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson and Drew Dalman, as well as new weapons in rookies Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III. Although Williams didn't light the world on fire in his rookie season, he still had one of the best seasons a QB has ever had for the Bears. Although that's not saying much, it's a promising sign of what may be ahead. Rome Odunze Rome Odunze wasn't the best or even the second-best rookie wide receiver in 2024. Part of that was on him, but part of it was on Matt Eberflus and the former coaching staff, which was in flux all season long. In 2025, Odunze will aim to develop into the high-end NFL wide receiver he was drafted to be in the first round. His cohesion with Caleb Williams is already there, and they can help each other. With a strong training camp and preseason, Odunze can set the tone for a breakout season. With Ben Johnson at the helm, Odunze can be put in a position that some of Detroit's receivers have been in over the last handful of years. This training camp will be big for him, learning the playbook and becoming an impact contributor. Ozzy Trapilo Ozzy Trapilo, although a rookie, can come into training camp and steal Braxton Jones' job at left tackle. It isn't likely to happen right away, but you just never know. Jones isn't a bad tackle, but you always look to upgrade if you don't have one of the elites. If Trapilo, who impressed during the offseason program, has a big training camp, he will insert his name into the regular mix of linemen protecting Caleb Williams, who was sacked an NFL-leading 68 times last year. Trapilo is talented enough to steal a starting job throughout 2025. It starts with camp. Jaquan Brisker One of the biggest questions entering the 2025 season is the health status of Jaquan Brisker. He missed the final 12 games of the 2024 season due to a concussion, which made it three straight years that he had that type of injury. Brisker may have come back had the Bears not lost 10 games in a row while he was out, but that's not certain. It is certain that there was no point in rushing anything with the state of the team. At this camp, he will learn Dennis Allen's defense, which should work very well for a player of his skill set. If Brisker can stay on the field for an entire season, a big year may be ahead for him. During training camp, he needs to get his body and mind into game shape. Montez Sweat Montez Sweat is in the conversation for the best player on the Bears. Jaylon Johnson and a couple of players on offense may have something to say about that, but Sweat is relied on to be their premier pass rusher. He can't do it all by himself, but he can lead the charge. Chicago didn't add as much to the defensive line as they did to the offensive line, which may be an issue. That means Sweat has a lot of extra responsibility, which means he needs to have a big training camp. Sweat was outstanding when the Bears first acquired him in 2023. He didn't, however, have quite as good a year in 2024. He wasn't bad; he just appeared to be a bit banged up. If he can get off to a good start, he may be able to cover some of the holes that Chicago has on the defensive front.
Fox Sports
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Who is Rome Odunze? Meet the Dairy-Farming, Big-Play Bears Wide Receiver
When Rome Odunze was digging ditches on a Utah dairy farm as a kid, who knew he would grow up to play in a national championship game and be a first-round pick in the NFL Draft? One of seven receivers selected in the first round last year, Odunze finished his rookie season with 54 receptions for 734 yards and three touchdowns playing with fellow rookie Caleb Williams. And even though the Chicago Bears went 5-12 and head coach Matt Eberflus was fired midseason, Odunze looks to use 2024 as a jumping-off point for a breakout second year. Take note, fantasy players. During the NFL's recent Player Personal Branding and Social Workshop in Los Angeles, I caught up with the 23-year-old pass-catcher. We discussed everything from Odunze's dairy-farm days to his heady college days at Washington, from learning Ben Johnson's offense to appreciating his Nigerian heritage. You have a unique background, spending summers on your maternal grandparents' dairy farm in Utah and also with your father being the son of Nigerian immigrants. How did that help to shape who you are? Rome Odunze: With that mix of hard-working immigrants and hard-working farmers, I feel like I have a great work ethic in that sense, and a better world view than maybe someone born and raised in America or [someone who] doesn't have that connection to outside cultures. So it's really helped me. Of course, working on the farm was a great experience, getting to learn the labor of that and the thankless job that it is. It's the kind of mindset that you have to have being a football player, because you've got to do your job regardless of what happens on that field. And having that [Nigerian] heritage has opened my eyes to a broader sense of purpose, family, legacy and all those different types of things. So I feel like it's been good for me. What's the hardest job you did on the farm? Odunze: The hardest thing I did on the farm was dig ditches for fence posts and water channels. Doing that in the heat of the Utah desert is wicked. So yeah, I definitely think I got heatstroke when I was out there. That was crazy. What was your takeaway from your first season in Chicago, and what is your approach this offseason based on how you performed? Odunze: I feel like it was a foundation-setting season. Coming from college to the NFL, it's definitely a change, from the things you have to do to the requirements on and off the field. So having that time to navigate those things through the pressure of a rookie season and trying to help turn around an organization, it was a unique experience. I learned a lot. Heading into Year 2, I'm working to improve all those things, and now I understand the environment and space that I'm in at the NFL level. So it's just improving all facets on and off the field: my wide receiver play, film study, engaging with my teammates and my leadership — all those different aspects. What was it like playing with Caleb Williams, and how can you improve your chemistry in Year 2? Odunze: It was great. We already have had moments and glimpses of that chemistry. Hopefully, it's something that can go on for the next decade — be a dynamic duo that goes down as legendary. We both improved in our own respective positions, and I feel like that has been the biggest thing — both of us kind of stepping back and being like, "OK, let me be the best wide receiver for C-Will, and let C-Will be the best quarterback for all of his wide receivers." That has been a big step in the process, as well as Ben and all the new coaches encouraging us and demanding a lot of us, which is exactly what we need. You mention the new coaching staff. Now that Ben Johnson is there, what's it been like learning that new offense and how do you see yourself fitting into it? Odunze: It's been tough, which is a good sign. From Day 1, it's been very detail-oriented and strict requirements within the offense. Everything is down to every yard on the field, whether that's alignment, assignment, technique or execution. All the things they've been harping on, I feel like it's been a good set up for us. It's a bit of a change, understanding that everything in this league counts, regardless of what it is. It's a game of inches. That has really expedited the process for us, and we're still, of course, building. We have training camp coming up and then we get into the season. But it's been great so far. What was it like playing in that high-octane offense at Washington and going to the title game with Michael Penix Jr. and the Huskies' talented receiving core? Odunze: It was a historic season for us and a historic group, so I'm super honored and grateful to have been a part of it. I love Penix. He's a dawg, and he's one of the best players I've ever played with. I'm excited to see his development and finally stepping into that role of a solidified QB1 — not having to be under Kirk [Cousins] and all of that. I think he's going to excel in his new role in that offense. Watching him last season when they made that change and how he was already starting to become a star, I think it's just going to roll into next season. I think Penix is going to be one of the best quarterbacks in the league. And that goes for my wide receiver peers as well. Ja'Lynn Polk is doing his thing with the Patriots. He's got Stefon [Diggs] as mentor with him now, which I kind of had last year with DJ [Moore] and Keenan [Allen]. I'm super grateful for them, and it's also great to see Polk with his new mentor. That offense is going to get rolling with all the new pieces they've added. I'm excited for him. And J-Mac [Jalen McMillan] in Tampa, he has a couple mentors in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, so I know that's been awesome for him. He balled out and just kept ramping up toward the end of the season, with like six consecutive touchdowns or something [seven in his last five games]. So I'm sure he's going to have a good season as well. Where did you work out this offseason? Odunze: I train in Orange County. My agency, Excel Sports, is out there, and they have a facility I train at. So I get to enjoy Orange County, relax a little bit and let the season die down and my body recover. But also keep the pedal down with the lifting and conditioning at the facility. You also work with T.J. Houshmandzadeh during the offseason. What's it like working with T.J.? Odunze: It's been great. He's a great coach. I send him videos and clips of my routes all the time because I think he's one of the greatest to ever play the game. He's always giving me tidbits and working on my craft. He's been a great help to me. You had several questions for speakers at the NFL branding symposium. What do you hope to get out of this as an athlete who wants to take advantage of your platform? What have you learned so far? Odunze: I've learned a lot. I think there's so many avenues and spaces you can step into in this realm. It's such a huge thing. It can be a more personal thing, or you can create something more interesting [on social media]. I'm just trying to learn how I want to approach it. It's a space you want to have some knowledge about before you enter it. And I'm definitely in that realm. I mean, I'm not big into social media, but I definitely think it's a useful platform for a voice — whether that's something I want to speak on, content creation or something about lifestyle or a particular interest that I have. I just feel like it's a very useful tool, so I'm looking at it as an asset. Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on X at @eric_d_williams. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
USA Today
13-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Bucky Brooks places Rome Odunze on 2025 NFL All-Breakout Team
Rome Odunze had a strong rookie season after the Chicago Bears selected the Washington Huskies Consensus All-American with the No. 9 overall pick in 2024. He tallied 54 catches for 734 yards and 3 touchdowns while working with a fellow rookie at quarterback in the No. 1 overall pick, Caleb Williams, behind a pair of veterans in DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, and a weak offensive line that allowed a league-high 68 sacks last year. That's without mentioning that his head coach and offensive coordinator were both fired midseason. That perfect storm has led to Odunze starting to build a fair amount of hype ahead of his second season with head coach Ben Johnson taking over the offense, and on Friday, analyst Bucky Brooks named Odunze to his 2025 NFL All-Breakout Team. "Ben Johnson's arrival and Caleb Williams' expected development should result in increased production for the Bears' WR2 in 2025," Brooks wrote. "As a big-bodied playmaker with sticky hands and rugged running skills, Odunze can excel as a possession receiver in a ball-control offense that frequently targets the middle of the field. With Williams instructed to play on time, the QB should find the second-year receiver early and often, with opponents forced to defend a multi-faceted attack that efficiently mixes run and pass plays with a creative approach." Odunze, who finished third on the team as a rookie with 101 targets, is set to see a significant increase in that department during his sophomore season after Chicago opted not to retain Allen after trading for him ahead of the 2024 season. Over three seasons as the Detroit Lions' offensive coordinator, Johnson produced four 1,000-yard receivers, and with him calling the shots in Chicago, a revamped offensive line in front of Williams, and Odunze's offseason development, a big step forward is well within reach for the former Washington superstar.
USA Today
10-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Jaguars miss out on Brian Thomas Jr. in 2024 NFL redraft; take another WR
With Brian Thomas Jr. long gone, the Jaguars' pick another wide receiver in a 2024 NFL redraft. It's still too early to truly evaluate the 2024 NFL draft class, but Sports Illustrated's Daniel Flick is setting that to the side for the time being and redrafting the entire first round. So, who did the Jacksonville Jaguars come away with this time? Unfortunately, the Jaguars didn't land Brian Thomas Jr. this time. With Jacksonville picking at 23rd overall after trading down with Minnesota, Thomas was long gone at that point, as he was taken at No. 4 overall by the Arizona Cardinals. In what was a stacked rookie class at the wide receiver position, Thomas was the most productive of the bunch, and among all wideouts last season, he ranked third in receiving yards during the regular season. "Thomas finished one spot ahead of Malik Nabers in AP Offensive Rookie of the Year voting and led all rookie receivers with 1,282 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns," Flick wrote. "His 87 receptions finished third-best among all first-year players." So instead, the Jaguars still addressed the wide receiver position, but this time, taking Washington's Rome Odunze, who went No. 9 originally to the Chicago Bears. "The Jaguars nailed the Thomas pick, so much so that he went off the board 19 picks before they had a chance to get him again," wrote Flick. "Odunze, however, is talented enough to produce at a similar level. The draft's ninth pick, Odunze finished sixth among rookies with 734 receiving yards and seventh with 54 receptions while adding three touchdown grabs." Odunze was a steady target in the Bears' offense at all three levels of the field, according to PFF's tracking data. He also saw playing time both out wide and in the slot fairly regularly. Those two elements could make him a good match for Liam Coen's offense, where multiplicity and movement at the wide receiver position are key components. Players who were still on the board in this redraft when the Jaguars were picking and went a few selections later included cornerback Nate Wiggins, wide receiver Ladd McConkey, center Graham Barton, and edge rusher Dallas Turner.
