Rome Odunze has been dealing with a foot injury since late October. The second-year receiver will miss Week 16, and a longer absence is being considered by the Bears. 
Odunze’s upcoming absence will be his third in a row. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports he is considered week-to-week at this point, but a decision will need to be made soon regarding a potential move to injured reserve. Head coach Ben Johnson recently noted Chicago could elect to shut Odunze down for a stretch.
“We’re going to do what’s best for Rome first and foremost,” Johnson said (via Fowler’s colleague Courtney Cronin). “I know he wants to be out there and helping. It’s hard to tell him no sometimes… So there may be a case where we have to protect him from himself a little bit and just make sure we get him right and he’ll be able to help us down the road.”
Moving Odunze to IR would see him miss the final three weeks of the regular season but also the Bears’ wild-card game (in the likely event Chicago reaches the playoffs without securing the No. 1 seed in the NFC). Such a transaction would carry significant weight as a result, but it would allow Odunze to focus on healing in full before making his return. The 23-year-old has been a focal point in the Bears’ passing game when on the field, and that will no doubt continue once he is healthy.
Selected ninth overall last year, Odunze posted a 54-734-3 statline as a rookie. Like everyone associated with the Bears’ offense, expectations were high for improvement this season. Odunze has delivered so far with six touchdowns and a 15.0 yards per catch average in 12 games. A starting role will await him upon return, although it remains to be seen when that will take place.
The Bears (10-4) will host the Packers (9-4-1) in a critical divisional matchup tomorrow night. Rookie wideout Luther Burden will also be absent for that game, leaving Chicago shorthanded at the position. As the team continues to strive for top spot in the NFC North, the injury status of Odunze in particular will be worth monitoring.
Both Burden and Odunze being out is a very big problem. Defenses can focus on shutting down DJ while tightening the screws on run defense. Only one of those two WR sitting still meant defenses had to stay honest on protecting for the deep threat. Maybe the Green Bay matchup will see the duo of Kmet/Loveland go wild; that’s a scenario well within Johnson’s wheelhouse.
Johnson already goes to trick and gadget plays more than I like but I wouldn’t be surprised to see more of that kind of stuff. If the Bears are smart they won’t overthink things here. Go with what has been successful for you in the past and for Chicago that means run, run then run some more 🙂