Heading into the 2027 season, one could argue the Chicago Bears didn’t really have a true WR1 once the team traded DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills.
Rome Odunze, while being one of the most targeted receivers on the squad last year before getting injured, hadn’t fully embraced the role due to a lack of consistency. Luther Burden III, meanwhile, came on strong at the end of last season and flashed signs of elite playmaking, but hadn’t yet proven he could sustain it with greater volume.
One could argue
that, even now, the Bears might not have a true WR1. But with both Burden (42 catches for 547 yards, 3 TDs) and Odunze (28 catches for 468 yards) looking like they could top 1,000 receiving yards this season, they haven’t needed one.
Moreover, as the Bears prepare to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday night, a pattern has emerged in which Burden and Odunze each have gotten their time to shine.
For example, if you’ve watched Chicago the last few weeks and thought head coach Ben Johnson is using Burden as the tone-setter for this pass-catching corps, you might be onto something.
400 of the second-year receiver’s 547 yards have come in the first half this season, including his monster 130-yard first half against the New England Patriots in Week 7. That’s no accident: Burden is the most explosive playmaker on the team, and Johnson’s emphasis on getting him going early seems to directly correlate to fast offensive starts for Chicago. Plus, with Kyle Monangai out of the lineup and the Bears’ short-yardage game needing a boost, Burden’s ability to turn short throws into first downs or touchdowns has been huge.
Odunze, on the other hand, enjoys a perfectly even split in receiving yards in first- and second halves this year. But his impact has been felt even more in second halves the last few weeks as defenses key in on Burden. Look no further than the Patriots game, where Odunze came alive in the fourth quarter with three catches for 42 yards, including his insane third-down grab. One might even argue that, when Williams needs a play in a clutch moment, Odunze remains his go-to guy. (In fact, Odunze has caught all of Williams’ third-down touchdowns this year.)
Throw in Colston Loveland and Kalif Raymond, who has been a surprise contributor this season, and you have playmakers for every moment the Bears need them. But Burden and Odunze rounding into form as a potent 1-2 punch for Williams and Johnson has fueled an offense getting back on track after three weeks of pedestrian numbers with backup quarterbacks.
Either way, it looks like the Bears made a savvy call trusting their young receivers to step up after trading Moore.
