Rome Odunze enters his third season in the NFL as the Chicago Bears’ top returning wide receiver, coming off a 2025 season in which he caught 44 passes for 661 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games. The 2024 first-round pick has been Chicago’s most consistent route runner in training camp, but a leg injury has put his Week 1 status in question.
The Bears held a light 40-minute practice on Monday with Odunze nowhere to be seen, days after he left Thursday’s practice session early with an apparent right leg injury. The rest of the roster took part in the workout, including running backs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai, per Patrick Norton of CHGO Sports.
Odunze appeared to injure the same leg that limited him for much of last season during Thursday’s practice. He tried to stay on the field before Bears trainers pulled him from the session, and early reports suggested the injury wasn’t serious.
Chicago has not issued an official update on Odunze’s condition. The Bears won’t release an injury report for Week 1 until Wednesday, and head coach Ben Johnson isn’t scheduled to speak to the media until Tuesday.
Odunze isn’t a player to shy away from playing, as he played through a stress fracture in his right foot for most of last season, eventually cutting his season short. He hadn’t missed a significant snap in camp until Thursday.
Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
With the Bears heading to North Carolina soon, Odunze may be taking extra precautions and getting extra rest before going full force into the 2026 season. His practice status should become a lot clearer over the next couple of days on whether Chicago’s top receiver will be ready for Week 1.
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