Ben Johnson has put fear into every team that has to face the Chicago Bears, and it will remain that way for as long as he's the head coach. Caleb Williams looks like he could be a legitimate MVP candidate this season, and both Luther Burden III and Colston Loveland have been pegged as top breakout candidates for 2026. D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai, meanwhile, have emerged as one of the best one-two punches of any backfield in the NFL.
But the biggest question mark heading into the Bears' season opener against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday has been the status of Rome Odunze, who spent the last week dealing with a foot injury that put his availability for Week 1 in doubt. Johnson downplayed any concerns on Tuesday, though, saying the team is viewing Odunze as "more day-to-day right now" as opposed to week-to-week. "I don't believe he'll be out there today, but we're hopeful he'll be out there on Sunday," Johnson said.
More news: Puka Nacua Gets Major Suspension Update Ahead of Rams Season Opener More news: Browns Fans Fuming Over Todd Monken’s Latest Deshaun Watson Announcement Odunze is entering his third season in Chicago, and with DJ Moore now gone, he was expected to take on a much bigger role this season alongside Burden and Loveland. The former first-round pick is still considered Williams' No. 1 target in the offense, and any extended absence would have been a brutal blow for both Williams and Odunze, who needs a big year after last season's disappointment. 2025 was supposed to be his breakout season, but he hauled in just 44 catches for 661 yards and six touchdowns, missing five games due to a stress fracture in his right foot (said to be unrelated to his current injury). With Burden and Loveland both emerging, another down year would put Odunze in a difficult spot heading into 2027.
If he's ready to go for Sunday, that's good news for him and the entire Bears offense, which many expect to put up even bigger numbers in 2026. More news: Latest Chiefs Injury News is the Last Thing Patrick Mahomes Wants to Hear
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