Bears WR Rome Odunze’s biggest concern lands clear take from former star

Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze is entering a pivotal third NFL season, and there is absolutely reason to be concerned about him.

Odunze missed five games due to a foot injury last year, and the former first-round pick has admitted that he isn’t sure he’ll ever be the same because of it. That’s not exactly what you want to hear from your No. 1 receiver heading into a campaign where you plan on contending for a Super Bowl.

During the time he was on the field in 2025, Odunze caught 44 passes for 661 yards and six touchdowns, but he struggled with drops, finishing with a subpar catch rate of 48.3 percent.

While part of that was on Caleb Williams for not putting the ball where it needs to be, Odunze also missed some balls he absolutely should have corralled, and with the Bears having subtracted both D.J. Moore and Olamide Zaccheaus during the offseason, there is even more pressure on Odunze to produce in 2026.

But are Odunze’s drop issues reason for concern? Former NFL wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh recently weighed in.

Former NFL star gets honest on Chicago Bears WR Rome Odunze

While speaking to ESPN’s Courtney Cronin, Houshmandzadeh raved about Odunze’s overall skillset and doesn’t seem to believe stone hands will be a problem for the youngster.

“The way Rome caught the ball in college, I would always tell my guys, ‘Rome was playing with six fingers. Everybody else is playing with five,’” Houshmandzadeh said. “He caught the ball so effortlessly. Great hand-eye coordination in college. When you start dropping the ball in the NFL, you’re pressing. It’s your concentration. You’re not getting many opportunities. So when opportunity comes, you start to press. And I don’t really worry about guys who drop the ball [when] I know [they] have good hands.”

Of course, the question is whether or not Odunze will continue to press this coming fall, especially considering there will be increased targets coming his way.

“Him catching and dropping a ball, on a scale of one to 10 concern, it would probably be a zero,” Houshmandzadeh added.

Odunze played his collegiate football at Washington and then entered the NFL in 2024. He had a strong showing during his rookie campaign, hauling in 54 receptions for 734 yards and three scores. He was expected to take a big step forward in 2025, but that didn’t occur.

The 24-year-old will be Chicago’s clear-cut No. 1 receiver this year, with Luther Burden III playing the role of No. 2. The Bears don’t have a definitive No. 3, but it may end up being third-round rookie Zavion Thomas.

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