The Chicago Bears have two potential WR1s in the building. Given that he has more experience and is a former first-round pick, the expectation was that Rome Odunze would carry the torch and lead the way in his third season.
Odunze has shown glimpses of greatness, and his chemistry with Caleb Williams is undeniable. However, a late-season injury limited him down the stretch, and his recent comments may have only raised more concerns.
When asked about his injured foot, the Washington product stated that it was his new normal. Maybe he could've phrased it better, but he made it sound as if he'll never be fully healthy again. Of course, head coach Ben Johnson was asked to address those remarks, and his generic non-answer didn't do much to appease the fans:
“Nothing new to me,” Johnson said. “He’s out there, he says he feels great. He looks good to me. We go back and forth with the coaching staff, and he looks like the same old Rome, so I think we’re in good shape.”
Will Rome Odunze's foot injuries be chronic?
No one is truly healthy in the National Football League. Players have had to endure years of wear and tear since high school, and given the physical nature of the sport, they're always one snap away from a major ailment.
That said, there are injuries and injuries. Chronic issues can derail a promising career, and hearing Odunze say this was his new normal is definitely something to keep a close eye on. Will he have to take some days off for maintenance? Will he have to miss time often because of that? There are just way too many questions.
Odunze is on the verge of a make-or-break season. He's still under contract for at least another year, but with DJ Moore no longer in the building, he has to prove that he can be the alpha playmaker this team hoped he would become.
More than that, having Luther Burden III by his side should only put more pressure on him, knowing that he might as well emerge as the team's go-to guy in the passing game. While that should help him stay healthy, which will ultimately be better, not everyone handles that type of thing the right way.
At the end of the day, football is a contact sport. Injuries will happen, and teams will just have to prepare for and deal with that. Until further notice or proven otherwise, Odunze is the team's WR1, and they will continue to operate as such.
Still, it's never encouraging to hear players talk this way, much less when they're still on rookie deals. Hopefully, this will all be a matter of semantics, and that 'new normal' won't get Rome Odunze's way to Canton.
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