The Chicago Bears' wide receiver room was dealt some mixed news ahead of Sunday's clash with the San Francisco 49ers. Although rookie WR Luther Burden III will be making his return after a one-game absence, second-year playmaker Rome Odunze will miss his fourth consecutive contest due to an ongoing stress fracture in his foot, according to NFL insider Adam Schefter.
Odunze's second half to the 2025 campaign has been a slog, but that doesn't change the fact that the Bears would prefer to be as healthy as possible this close to the postseason. Now, Chicago's coaching staff will turn to its available pass-catchers to step up once again, which means all eyes will be on DJ Moore in Week 17.
Rome Odunze's Absence Gives DJ Moore Another Chance to Step Up
The 2025 NFL season has been an up-and-down ride for Moore and the Bears. His $24.9 million salary cap hit suggests that he should be performing like one of the league's top wideouts; however, any WR1-like performances have been few and far between at times, leaving Chicago fans to wonder if Moore has played himself into a potential offseason split.
After all, a trade after June 1 would open up $24.5 million in cap savings, per Spotrac, while forcing another team to deal with the final four years of his contract.
Much to the delight of his believers, though, Moore potentially played himself out of any trade conversations with his Week 16 effort. Tying his season-high with seven targets, the 28-year-old playmaker hauled in five catches for 97 yards against the Green Bay Packers, which also included a 46-yard score that won it for the Bears in overtime. It was the type of performance that showed he could still be 'the guy' when need be.
Fast forward to Week 17, and the Bears will look to Moore for a similar performance. Even though the playoffs are a lock, Chicago needs to win at least one more time to secure the NFC's No. 2 seed, and another strong effort from the ex-Maryland Terrapin could help turn that dream into a reality.
Moore had success in his last outing against the 49ers, bringing in six catches on eight targets for 49 yards in Week 14 of the 2024 season. Was it his most productive game? Not, but it showed that Moore can thrive at Levi's Stadium, and capitalizing on a similar workload this weekend will give the Bears their best chance to win three straight games for the third time this season.
With Odunze and Burden still having plenty of room to grow, having a reliable and proven veteran like Moore in the fold certainly helps — especially when he's playing to his potential. Balling out against the 49ers would give the Bears every reason to keep the WR trio intact for another season, leaving time to tell if Moore will be up to the task in the Bay.