Bears' Odunze Returns to Practice, Availability for Sunday's Game Uncertain
Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze returned to practice on Thursday after missing the team's last game due to a stress fracture in his foot. Although he has been out of action for over two weeks, coach Ben Johnson described Odunze as "such a vital part" of the team's offense.
Odunze is leading the Bears in catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns, with 90 targets this season. He also leads DJ Moore, the team's No. 2 receiver, by 24 targets. The absence of Odunze has forced other receivers to step up their game, but Johnson noted that his rapport with quarterback Caleb Williams is crucial.
However, Johnson was surprised by Moore's performance in Sunday's loss to the Packers. Despite being one of the Bears' top receivers, Moore caught just one ball for -4 yards on three targets. The coach attributed this to the team's deep roster of pass-catchers and their heavy playbook load.
Moore has been struggling lately, with seven games featuring three or fewer receptions. However, rookie Luther Burden has shown promise, posting 224 receiving yards in his last five games.
Johnson emphasized that Moore is still an important player for the team and will continue to be utilized differently than last season. The coach praised Moore's ability to adapt to different positions on the field, saying "he's a smart player" who can make plays in various spots.
The Bears' offense will need to overcome their struggles without Odunze if they hope to compete against the Browns on Sunday. While the team's depth is an advantage, it also poses challenges when dealing with injuries and inconsistent performances from top players like Moore.
As for Odunze, his availability for Sunday's game remains uncertain. Coach Johnson stated that he would make a decision on Odunze's participation in Friday's practice. If he can recover quickly, the Bears may be able to utilize him effectively against the Browns.
Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze returned to practice on Thursday after missing the team's last game due to a stress fracture in his foot. Although he has been out of action for over two weeks, coach Ben Johnson described Odunze as "such a vital part" of the team's offense.
Odunze is leading the Bears in catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns, with 90 targets this season. He also leads DJ Moore, the team's No. 2 receiver, by 24 targets. The absence of Odunze has forced other receivers to step up their game, but Johnson noted that his rapport with quarterback Caleb Williams is crucial.
However, Johnson was surprised by Moore's performance in Sunday's loss to the Packers. Despite being one of the Bears' top receivers, Moore caught just one ball for -4 yards on three targets. The coach attributed this to the team's deep roster of pass-catchers and their heavy playbook load.
Moore has been struggling lately, with seven games featuring three or fewer receptions. However, rookie Luther Burden has shown promise, posting 224 receiving yards in his last five games.
Johnson emphasized that Moore is still an important player for the team and will continue to be utilized differently than last season. The coach praised Moore's ability to adapt to different positions on the field, saying "he's a smart player" who can make plays in various spots.
The Bears' offense will need to overcome their struggles without Odunze if they hope to compete against the Browns on Sunday. While the team's depth is an advantage, it also poses challenges when dealing with injuries and inconsistent performances from top players like Moore.
As for Odunze, his availability for Sunday's game remains uncertain. Coach Johnson stated that he would make a decision on Odunze's participation in Friday's practice. If he can recover quickly, the Bears may be able to utilize him effectively against the Browns.
. He's been out for two weeks and coach Johnson is saying he's a "vital part" of the team's offense, but his availability for Sunday's game is still up in the air 
. The Bears are going to need him back if they want to compete against the Browns this week 
. It's also interesting to see DJ Moore struggling lately, but I like that Johnson is saying he's a smart player who can make plays in different spots on the field 
. The rookie Luther Burden has been looking good though, maybe he can help fill the void while Odunze recovers 
. One thing's for sure, this offense needs some consistency if they want to win games 
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. With Odunze back in practice, you'd think he'd be a no-brainer for Sunday's game. But if his foot isn't 100%, he'll just risk re-injuring himself and setting the team back even more 
. Moore's performance was underwhelming to say the least... it's weird they're making him sound like such a vital part of the offense when he hasn't exactly been producing 
. Luther Burden is definitely looking promising, but can he step up his game against the Browns? We'll have to wait and see 
.
He's leading the team in catches and touchdowns, and now he's back on the practice field, but I'm not getting my hopes up just yet 
And let's be real, they're playing against the Browns, who are no slouches themselves 
like what even is that? dj moore used to be their top receiver but now he's just average at best. i guess depth is good and all but it's not exactly ideal when ur top player isn't performin' 
can they pls just get odunze back out there ASAP? 
i mean, 24 targets leading the team in catches and receiving yards is a big deal, but if he can't even make an impact on game day, what's the point? 
and luther burden's been doing some decent stuff lately... maybe moore needs to step up or he'll be the one getting phased out 
anyway, odunze's availability for sunday's game is anyone's guess 
. moore has been struggling and its not just odunze being injured, he was off his game sunday 
I'm loving how Rome Odunze is still bringing it despite being out for two weeks! 
It's awesome to see the other receivers stepping up their game, but you can tell they're not the same without Odunze on the field.
luther burden is looking good though, maybe coach johnson can find ways to get him more involved in the playbook 
. Odunze's return is a big deal for the Bears, and I'm hoping he can get back in the mix ASAP 
I mean, the guy's been struggling lately, but he's still a key player... gotta find that rhythm, ya know? 
And Burden's looking like a solid backup, so we'll see how that plays out 
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He's literally carrying that team on his back right now 
On the other hand, DJ Moore has been kinda meh lately 
. But at least Luther Burden is showing some promise! 
The Bears have that depth on their side, but it's also making it harder to predict who'll step up when someone like Odunze goes down 
which is cool cuz we all know how important chemistry is between QBs and WRs 
anyway, fingers crossed odunze comes back strong on sunday and the bears can take down the browns 
. On a lighter note, DJ Moore might be struggling lately, but Luther Burden seems like a bright spot 
! Can't wait to see how the Bears' offense pulls together for Sunday's game