Chicago Bears Training Camp Battle Preview: Rome Odunze returning punts could push other WRs off the roster
With a little over a week until rookies report to Halas Hall for the start of training camp, now is the perfect time to dive deep into the various positional battles on the Chicago Bears roster.The Bears wide receiver room as a whole was a worrisome position in 2023 outside of star play-maker DJ Moore. […]
With a little over a week until rookies report to Halas Hall for the start of training camp, now is the perfect time to dive deep into the various positional battles on the Chicago Bears roster.
The Bears wide receiver room as a whole was a worrisome position in 2023 outside of star play-maker DJ Moore. Because of that, the front office made it a point to overhaul the top of the room adding Keenan Allen and drafting Rome Odunze.
The depth at the position still has some legitimate concerns, even if the team has three top weapons. Heading into camp, we'll see which players at the bottom of the barrel make the most noise to round out the final open spots on the roster. Here's where the position stands, and what to watch for later this month.
Bears WR Overview
Who are the expected starters:
DJ Moore
Keenan Allen
Rome Odunze
Who are the confirmed depth options:
Tyler Scott
Velus Jones Jr.
Second-year wide receiver Tyler Scott and former third-round pick Velus Jones Jr. are clear locks for the 53-man roster outside of the big three at the position. Scott's skillset as a downfield runner will be a hidden piece to the offense this season and the Bears coaches are over their heads about Jones' impact under the new rule changes as the team's primary kick returner.
Biggest Battles For Training Camp
Which sixth WR, if any, will make the cut:
Looking at the Bears roster, things start to get blurry at the position after Scott and Jones. If the Bears plan to keep a sixth wide receiver, the following players will be in consideration for the spot:
DeAndre Carter
Dante Pettis
Nsimba Webster
Freddie Swain
Collin Johnson
John Jackson
Peter LeBlanc
It's a very diverse group of players who have different abilities which will make this decision a tough one for the coaching staff to assess. Jackson and LeBlanc, the two UDFA additions seem like long shots out of the list and the one player I won't sleep on is Freddie Swain, who's career year in Seattle came under OC Shane Waldron.
Who will handle punt returning duties:
If a sixth wide receiver makes the roster, Carter and Pettis have the best shot to do so based on their experiences as a returner. Both players will be in consideration for the open punt returner job, but, special teams coordinator Richard Hightower will also be looking to utilize the team's first round draft pick in that role.
“Rome is an every-down player. Rome’s a first-down player, a second-down player, a third-down player and a fourth-down player,” Hightower said. “He had three returns on the books and one of those three returns was a house call.”
Odunze hasn't had the most experience at the job during his college career compared to the experience Carter or Pettis have under their belts, but if he looks the part and earns the job, there might not be a need for their services anymore. Based on the reps during minicamp, Odunze has the early edge for the job, but we haven't been able to see Carter on the field with the rest of the players yet.
Biggest Training Camp Sleeper at WR: Collin Johnson
If Odunze wins the starting punt returner job and pushes Carter and Pettis off the 53-man roster, the Bears have another concern that could lead to a sixth WR getting kept.
All three of the Bears top wide receivers are big-bodied players. Moore is 5'11, 210. Allen is 6'2, 211. And Odunze is 6'3, 215. Scott and Jones aren't quite that size and might not be able to fill that role in the offense if one of the three were to go down.
Collin Johnson, at 6'6, 222, is the Bears biggest wide receiver by far on the roster and would be the team's best option as a backup X player if he can step up at camp. Johnson got called up from the practice squad three times for the Bears in 2023 and will be fighting for a more secure role during camp.
Five players who are on the roster bubble heading into training camp for the Chicago Bears
It’s an uphill battle for these players to stick around.
