Bucky Brooks places Rome Odunze on 2025 NFL All-Breakout Team
He tallied 54 catches for 734 yards and 3 touchdowns while working with a fellow rookie at quarterback in the No. 1 overall pick, Caleb Williams, behind a pair of veterans in DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, and a weak offensive line that allowed a league-high 68 sacks last year. That's without mentioning that his head coach and offensive coordinator were both fired midseason.
That perfect storm has led to Odunze starting to build a fair amount of hype ahead of his second season with head coach Ben Johnson taking over the offense, and on Friday, NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks named Odunze to his 2025 NFL All-Breakout Team.
"Ben Johnson's arrival and Caleb Williams' expected development should result in increased production for the Bears' WR2 in 2025," Brooks wrote.
"As a big-bodied playmaker with sticky hands and rugged running skills, Odunze can excel as a possession receiver in a ball-control offense that frequently targets the middle of the field. With Williams instructed to play on time, the QB should find the second-year receiver early and often, with opponents forced to defend a multi-faceted attack that efficiently mixes run and pass plays with a creative approach."
Odunze, who finished third on the team as a rookie with 101 targets, is set to see a significant increase in that department during his sophomore season after Chicago opted not to retain Allen after trading for him ahead of the 2024 season.
Over three seasons as the Detroit Lions' offensive coordinator, Johnson produced four 1,000-yard receivers, and with him calling the shots in Chicago, a revamped offensive line in front of Williams, and Odunze's offseason development, a big step forward is well within reach for the former Washington superstar.
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