Heading into his third year in the NFL, former Washington Huskies wide receiver Rome Odunze has an opportunity to vault into stardom with the Chicago Bears.
Early on in the 2025 season, Odunze emerged as quarterback Caleb Williams' favorite target, tallying 20 catches for 296 yards and 5 touchdowns over the first four games of the year, before he was limited by a foot injury that forced him to miss five contests.
Now fully healthy, Odunze is looking to continue adding to his game. One point of emphasis for the 2023 Consensus All-American and former No. 9 overall pick throughout the offseason has been contested catches, an area he thrived in during his final year on Montlake.
Caleb Williams finds Rome Odunze in the back of the end zone for the TD
🔥 This connection continues to flash. 📈 🎥: @creamsleeve pic.twitter.com/r3hCcd1icg
— Bearsszn (@bearszn) August 25, 2026
"I love it. I think that's definitely something, especially like on the outside, those opportunities, just to stress the defense," Odunze told the media during training camp.
"I feel like, you know, when it's a one-on-one opportunity out there and we got safety leverage or something like that, then, you know, one-on-one kind of fifty-fifty ball is one of my areas of expertise. So something I'm excited about, something we've definitely worked on in camp."
With second-year receiver Luther Burden sidelined with a groin injury, as Odunze continues to grow and prove he's healthy at training camp, he should be able to re-establish himself as Williams' favorite target early in the 2026 season.
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Former Washington star focusing on contested catches ahead of 2026
