The most surprising twist in Rome Odunze’s injury report is that this foot issue has nothing to do with the stress fracture that plagued him last season. While the team lists the third-year receiver as day-to-day, head coach Ben Johnson made it clear that this is a brand new problem. Odunze will not practice on Tuesday, but the hope remains that he can play when the Bears face Carolina on Sunday.
Johnson called Odunze “Mr. Consistency” just a few days ago, praising the receiver for showing no setbacks from his previous foot trouble. “Mr. Consistency, you know, there’s this level of … I know the dialogue about his foot and all that and yet, I mean, you didn’t see any setback from that regard,” Johnson said. The coach even showed the team a highlight of Odunze cracking a safety in joint practices to prove how healthy he looked. That health is now the main focus as the coaching staff deals with this new, undisclosed issue.
The Team’s Plan for Sunday
Despite the injury, the Bears are not panicking. According to a tweet cited by Yahoo Sports from ESPN’s Courtney Cronin, the team hopes he will be available Sunday at Carolina. Adam Jahns of ChiCitySports confirmed that Johnson told reporters Odunze won’t practice today but emphasized the injury is different from the foot he dealt with last season. The coaching staff wants the receiver back for the opener, even if he missed the Tuesday session.
Jahns noted that Odunze will play on Sunday against Carolina, a game that sets the tone for the entire year, is the hope. The injury left practice a week ago, and the team is now monitoring the situation closely. Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs noted that Odunze has a right leg or ankle/foot injury, yet the specific diagnosis is private. The key is that it is not the same stress fracture that worried fans all offseason.
Why Consistency Still Wins
Johnson believes Odunze is doing all the little things that other people don’t notice, which will help the team win games. “He’s doing all the little things, the things that maybe other people don’t notice, and the coaching staff is very appreciative of [that] because it’s going to help us win games,” Johnson said via USA Today. This praise comes even as the receiver sits out practice, showing how much the coach values his work ethic.
The Bears need their new star to be ready for the long haul. Bear Goggles On reported Johnson saying to reporters that Odunze is “day-to-day” with an injury distinct from the foot issue he had a year ago. The team is counting on his return to give quarterback Caleb Williams a reliable target from day one. If Odunze can shake this new ailment, the offense looks set for a strong start.
