Rome Odunze didn’t leave much room for interpretation when asked about his place in the Bears’ receiver hierarchy.
With DJ Moore now headed to the Buffalo Bills, Odunze made it plain that he sees himself as the guy at the top of the depth chart.
"I obviously see myself as WR1, and I want the ball every single play, but I know the rest of the WR room sees it that way as well," Odunze said on Thursday.
He added, "It’s that duality of I got that dog in me and I want to go and make plays. I know everybody is going to get their share and it’s going to be exciting."
That answer comes after a major shift in Chicago’s passing game. Moore, who spent three seasons with the Bears, was Caleb Williams’ primary target in both the 2024 and 2025 seasons and posted 98 receptions in 2024 before finishing with 50 in 2025. He and Odunze each scored six touchdowns during the Bears’ postseason run in 2025.
Now the Bears are moving forward with Odunze, Luther Burden III and Kalif Raymond as the main wideouts on the roster, with another playoff push in mind for the NFC North team.
Odunze’s path to this moment has been quick and steady. Chicago took him with the ninth pick in the 2024 draft, making him one of seven wide receivers selected on Day 1 in a loaded pass-catching class. As a rookie, he put up 54 catches for 734 yards and three touchdowns in 17 games while the Bears finished 5-12.
His second season brought more production, even with injury issues limiting him to 12 games. Odunze finished with 44 receptions, 661 receiving yards and six touchdowns, cutting into his totals in catches, targets and yards while improving his scoring output.
The Bears have kept climbing during the Caleb Williams era. After going 5-12 in 2024, they improved to 11-6 in 2025, won the NFC North, and advanced to the divisional round before falling to the Los Angeles Rams.
Next up for Chicago are preseason games against the Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals and Tennessee Titans. The regular season opens against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, September 13.
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