There are a lot of things to like about Chicago Bears rookie Rome Odunze. The ninth overall pick is a great receiver that the team hopes can be another great weapon for the offense.
Of course, a lot of the discourse surrounding Odunze revolves around how he’ll play with fellow rookie Caleb Williams on the offensive side of the ball. With Keenan Allen, DJ Moore, Cole Kmet, and D’Andre Swift around him, he should be able to hit the ground running. Scoring points should be no problem in 2024, as long as Williams does his job well.
There is another aspect of Odunze’s game that could also help the Bears: his punt return ability, which he showcased briefly during his time at Washington.
“Rome is an every-down player,” Bears special teams coordinator Richard Hightower said. “Rome’s a first-down player, a second-down player, a third-down player and a fourth-down player. He had three returns on the books and one of those three returns was a house call.”
Despite not having primarily served as a punt returner in college, Odunze is in contention to serve as Chicago’s primary punt returner. Hightower wouldn’t say that Odunze is the favorite for the job, but he’s in the mix. It wouldn’t be shocking at all to see him win that job.
“He’s in contention, just like everybody else,” Hightower said. “Best man will win, cream rises to the top.”
Odunze isn’t a veteran receiver who is above returning kicks, which would give him chances to make plays and help the team get good field position. If he does that, the confidence could improve his game as a receiver, as well.
This job, if won, would not be Odunze’s main purpose on the team. They didn’t draft a punt returner ninth overall, they drafted a dynamic receiver, and he figures to benefit working alongside Moore and Allen. However, if Odunze can help the team do both, he would prove to be even more valuable.