The Chicago Bears are set to face the Green Bay Packers this Sunday in one of the most anticipated matchups between the two historic franchises in years. However, the Bears may have to face their division rival without a key playmaker on offense.
Star wide receiver Rome Odunze missed practice Thursday with a foot injury, and the second-year wideout has yet to practice this week. But there’s a bigger picture to the story.
A Major Underlying Issue Surrounding Bears’ WR Rome Odunze
Is it fair to call Odunze a “star” receiver? If this question were asked in September, absolutely. Here was his stat line for the first four games of the season
- Week 1 vs. Vikings: 6 recs, 37 yards, 1 TD
- Week 2 vs. Lions: 7 recs, 128 yards, 2 TDs
- Week 3 vs. Cowboys: 3 recs, 62 yards, 1 TD
- Week 4 vs. Raiders: 4 recs, 69 yards, 1 TD
However, since then Odunze has only managed to haul in an average of three catches per game, 45.6 yards per game, and just one touchdown since then. One question on the minds of many is whether this foot injury has been a lingering issue, and if so, has it prevented Odunze from continuing on the trend he was on during September?
Here’s the thing that many might have forgotten concerning Odunze. According to ESPN’s Courtney Cronin, he’s been dealing with a ‘heel injury’ since the beginning of the season, and against the Baltimore Ravens was where the pain was at its peak.
Perhaps the reason for Odunze’s decline this season is due to that heel injury. Plus, that heel injury likely lasted well after the Ravens game.
Whatever the case may be, the best course of action may be letting Odunze rest. It’s not what fans might want, but it’s what he needs.
A similar situation unfolded in Las Vegas, where Raiders’ star tight end Brock Bowers suffered a knee injury in Week 1 against the New England Patriots, and proceeded to play on a bad knee and wasn’t a significant factor in the following weeks. He eventually got the rest he needed, and in the first week back against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Bowers had 12 catches for 127 yards and three touchdowns.
Go figure.
All Eyes Turn to the Rook
If Odunze does, in fact, miss Sunday’s matchup against the Packers, all eyes will be on rookie wideout Luther Burden III.
Burden has overtaken Olamide Zaccheaus in the depth chart after gaining the trust of both his teammates and the coaching staff, appearing in 51% (33 snaps) of the Bears’ offensive snaps, compared to Zaccheaus 35% (23 snaps).
However, that doesn’t feel like enough. Watching all the Bears’ wideouts this season, it’s not a crazy thing to say that Burden has looked like the best WR on the team.
Luther Burden III moving at a different speed than everyone else on the field pic.twitter.com/EbeYucJQD2
— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) November 24, 2025
He rarely drops a ball, has crisp route running, and always seems to find a way to get open for Caleb Williams. This Sunday could be the moment when more people start to realize how great Burden has been for the Bears if Odunze isn’t a full go.
Main Image: Bill Streicher – Imagn Images
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