Imagine this: Bears’ rookie wideout Rome Odunze’s blazing down the field, leaving defenders in the dust, but there’s a twist—he’s got no ball in sight. The clip of Odunze running free and clear has set the NFL world buzzing. Why? Well, it’s more than just a highlight reel moment; it’s sparking some serious chatter. 

Is Rome Odunze already fed up with the Bears? That’s the word going around after his dad dropped a video of the rookie WR running wide open—no ball, though, just empty space. NFL insider Dov Kleiman jumped in with a tweet: “#Bears rookie WR Rome Odunze’s father shares a clip of Rome running WIDE-OPEN. Does Chicago have a problem on their hands?” 

And then BAM, former NFL QB Dan Orlovsky, stirred the pot more. He tweeted, “The Bears and Caleb are gonna have to get comfortable giving Rome more ‘covered’ opportunities. Rome isn’t getting open at this level right now—Caleb will have to get comfortable throwing him some 50/50 balls.” Basically, Orlovsky’s saying Odunze’s not creating enough space, and Caleb Williams is going to have to trust him more with those contested throws.

Here’s where things get interesting: the rookie wideout’s dad wasn’t about to let Orlovsky’s comments slide. That clip of Odunze running free was more like a rebuttal. If he’s getting that wide open and still not getting the ball, maybe it’s not about the receiver’s separation but about timing and play-calling. 

Flashback to a preseason game against the Bengals, where the Odunze-Williams connection flashed some serious potential. With just two minutes remaining in the half, Williams saw Odunze running down the sideline, throwing him a long 45-yard pass. “The play was broken. I pulled the top off the defense because Caleb was making guys miss,” Odunze said. The QB-WR tandem’s still honing their chemistry, so don’t get your expectations up just yet. 

As we look at more games this season, it’ll be fun to see how this rookie combo progresses. If they’re able to replicate their preseason success, Odunze might just prove he’s the top WR from the 2024 draft class.

Is Rome Odunze the top receiver from the 2024 draft class?

During a candid chat with NBC Sports Chicago, the WR discussed his journey. “Of course, I’ve got respect for those guys and all the receivers in this draft,” he stated. “But, you know, I wanna be number one. That’s my competitive nature.” 

Chicago’s too hyped up about Odunze as well. “We’ve talked about how you would be a phenomenal fit for the Bears for quite some time now,” the podcast host said. “Now, the rest of the city is really catching up.” Odunze is excited about Windy City. “I see the passion, and I see the fan base rooting for me and wanting me to go at nine, which I think would be awesome,” he responded.

But why all the chatter? The 22-year-old ain’t just another name in this stacked draft—he’s a game-changer with a flair for big plays and killer stats. Looking back, Odunze noted, “I thought I was a first-round pick last year, and I thought I had put the film on tape.” As this season’s games approach, let’s see if Rome Odunze’s here just to join the conversation or lead it.

If the transition from college football to NFL interests you, do check out this ES Think Tank episode with Doug Sanders.