Bears fans woke up to surprising news on Monday that their prized rookie receiver Rome Odunze appeared on the injury report and required an MRI on his knee. He hadn't shown any signs of injury in Week 1 against the Titans, so this report caught the organization by surprise.
Fortunately, the worst-case scenario was avoided when it was reported that it was a Grade 1 knee sprain for the talented pass-catcher. Now, we are getting more details about the injury itself and Odunze's availability against the Texans in Week 2.
According to Brendan Sugrue of The Bears Wire, Odunze was feeling just fine after Sunday's game but woke up with a tender knee the next day. Chicago is reportedly not ruling him out for Sunday but it seems like it is rather unlikely that he would suit up.
Bears News: WR Rome Odunze Unlikely to Play on Sunday
According to @WaddleandSilvy, Rome Odunze checked out fine after Sunday's game, but woke up with his knee feeling tender and he brought it up to the team doctors.
— Brendan Sugrue (@BrendanSugrue) September 10, 2024
He said as of now the Bears aren't totally ruling him out for Sunday, though it would be a surprise if he plays.
Odunze's absence will certainly be felt but the Bears can certainly stay afloat thanks to the offseason additions. DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, and Cole Kmet will have a larger role in the passing game while veteran receiver DeAndre Carter will likely get the starting nod if Odunze is indeed unavailable.
In his NFL debut, Odunze was largely quiet, finishing with one catch in four targets and 11 yards in total. The entire Bears offense was a mess in Week 1, putting up 148 total yards. Caleb Williams will certainly be better in the upcoming weeks but the most important thing was Chicago coming away with the win thanks to their elite defensive playmaking. The defense will need to show up again against the tough Houston matchup on the road.