Ben Johnson is quickly fixing a mistake he made with Rome Odunze and it will help his game flourish
Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze is entering into his third NFL season and second season under head coach Ben Johnson with aspirations to become one of the top wide receivers in the league. And Johnson is willing to help him get there.
Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze hasn’t generated a lot of buzz for himself throughout the first few weeks of training camp, especially considering the level of buzz tight end Colston Loveland and wide receiver Luther Burden III (prior to his injury) were receiving.
Even if the hype is slowly building, Odunze is going to have a major role in this offense going into his third NFL season and second season under Ben Johnson.
We all know the connection shared between Odunze and quarterback Caleb Williams will bode well for Odunze being heavily involved, but the understanding between Odunze and Johnson can be what really maximizes his potential in this offense this upcoming season.
Ben Johnson is finally leaning into the 50/50 plays to get the most out of WR Rome Odunze
Coming into the NFL, Odunze was one of the top 50/50 receivers in the draft and excelled at contested catches. The Bears envisioned him being a gotta-have-it type of pass catcher for Caleb Williams in clutch situations when they drafted him Top-10.
When Johnson arrived to Chicago last year, he believed he could get more out of Odunze’s game by making Odunze conform to his scheme that leans more into creating separation and generating yards after catch as opposed to being a jump-ball guy. However, Johnson now realizes it’s something he should embrace more instead of shying away from it.
“Rome is looking to play fast and he’s looking to be great at the top of his routes,” Johnson said. “He’s a bigger body and his super power is the contested catches as well, so I’m not concerned. I think he’s making plenty of separation as is right now and I’m really pleased with what it looks like between Caleb and him, where the ball’s being placed and him being able to torque and go up for the ball as needed.”
Odunze’s skillset is rare in those situations and the results last season when Williams did heave up a jump ball were far from ideal. Instead of abandoning those opportunities, the Bears have planned to lean further into Odunze’s expertise to turn more of those opportunities into big completions.
“He understands where he’s supposed to be,” offensive coordinator Press Taylor said. “You see the explosion and contested catch ability he has, and we’ve made it a point of emphasis to push the ball downfield on some contested go balls to feature that strength. He’s made his fair share of plays on those, so that’s encouraging.”
Bears still plan to feature Rome Odunze as a complete receiver and he understands where he can grow
The timing of this is fitting. On Thursday, the Bears have a joint practice against the Cincinnati Bengals, a team that features arguably the top WR duo in the league with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Both are players Odunze has looked to in order to improve his own game as a more complete receiver.
“I feel like Tee moves so well for his height,” Odunze said. “He’s fluid in and out of his routes, and he has tremendous catch point radius going up on a contested catch. I feel like Ja’Marr is just an incredible athlete with some of the catches that he makes over the middle as well as his go-ball chemistry with Joe. Something I’m looking to display with Caleb as well.”
The plan for Odunze and Johnson is finding a way to blend both sides of the coin. How can they feature Odunze’s strength in one-on-one opportunities and how can they scheme up plays that fit Johnson’s style, which is another area Odunze has been looking to improve this offseason.
“I feel like my route running is up there, but I have a few [things] I can clear up and make even better yards after catch,” Odunze added. “Run after catch is definitely something I’m looking to improve on. All around, I feel like I can improve to be one of the best in the league.”
It’s a critical season for Odunze and his future in this offense. The early returns last year, prior to his foot injury, showed that Odunze has what it takes to be a top WR. Now it’s a matter of refining everything and showing out for an entire season. If he can, there’s no reason not to believe this guy can be one of the more productive receivers in the NFL.
