Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s record-breaking extension adds even more pressure for Rome Odunze going into his third season with the Bears
The Chicago Bears young wide receiver has a massive future ahead of him, if he can take his game to the next level.
The wide receiver position crowned a new king on Monday when the Seattle Seahawks agreed to a record-breaking four-year, $168.6 million contract extension with Jaxon Smith-Njigba, a deal that now makes him the highest-paid WR in NFL history.
It’s a well-earned deal for the reigning Offensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl Champ, and a solid deal for the Seahawks considering JSN was already under contract for two more seasons (counting the fifth-year option).
At the same time, it completely resets the wide receiver market considering the previous highest-paid wide receiver (Ja’Marr Chase) was the only player at his position making $40+ million per year. A deal like that can lead to a domino effect for years to come and the Chicago Bears need to pay attention.
Rome Odunze’s price, and pressure, just went way up following JSN’s extension
The Bears are going to be spending a lot of cash next offseason between the pending extensions for 2023 first-round pick Darnell Wright and 2024 first overall pick Caleb Williams. But, what about the team’s other first-round pick from 2024, wide receiver Rome Odunze?
After a strong rookie season in which he totaled 734 yards and three touchdowns, Odunze’s sophomore year in the NFL was held back due to a lingering foot injury. Yet, he still managed to total 661 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games in his first season under head coach Ben Johnson’s offense. And Johnson is well aware of what Odunze could become in this scheme.
Odunze’s production between Year 1 and Year 2 dipped compared to JSN, who went from 628 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie to 1,130 yards and six touchdowns in his second season. In Year 3, JSN blossomed out of nowhere with a league-high 1,793 yards and had 10 touchdowns. What JSN did in 2025 was unbelievable and will be hard for anyone to replicate, but everything is lining up for Odunze to have a massive Year 3 breakout of his own looking ahead to 2026, just like it did for JSN.
After his first season under Shane Waldron, JSN had a new offensive system under Ryan Grubb that helped him become more of a focus as a sophomore. In Year 3, Klint Kubiak took over the offense and the Seahawks parted ways with DK Metcalf, opening the door for JSN to really take off.
As for Odunze, he is expected to be fully healthy and will be in his second season under one of the league’s best offensive minds. Similar to the Seahawks, the Bears just opened up a big opportunity for their young pass catchers after trading away veteran wide receiver DJ Moore. Everything is lining up in a similar fashion for Odunze, saying he can stay healthy.
Putting together a huge season in Year 3 could then expedite the Bears’ plans with the young receiver and it would be a smart move, saying Odunze can reach that next level this upcoming season.
Will Odunze follow in JSN’s footsteps become the highest-paid wide receiver in football after his third season? That’s unlikely. But, putting together a strong season in 2026 could allow him to cash in early and give Chicago a solid deal once you factor in his fourth season plus his fifth-year option.
It all depends on what kind of season Odunze has and if he can out-perform 2025 second-round pick Luther Burden III. Let’s say Odunze eclipses 1,100 yards and gets close to double-digit touchdowns, an early deal after that kind of year would be worth around $25-30 million per year and should be something the Bears consider that would make Odunze one of the Top-15 highest-paid receivers.
Again, this deal doesn’t mean anything for Chicago, yet. But, it does raise the bar for what Odunze will be looking to achieve going into his third season with the Bears.
Chicago Bears News
Tyrique Stevenson is prepared to bring even more motivation to his game going into a pivotal fourth season with the Bears
The Chicago Bears cornerback will be vying for a starting opportunity once again.
