Category: Offseason

Rome Odunze was shocked to learn the Bears receiving record

In an interview on 670 The Score, Rome Odunze learned about the Bears’ dismal receiving record and he could not believe it.

Wide receiver Rome Odunze has only been a member of the Chicago Bears for a day, but he’s already learning about the team’s history and records. It’s safe to say he wasn’t prepared for how low some of them are.

In an interview on 670 The Score’s Parkins & Spiegel Show, Odunze learned who the team’s all-time leading receiver was and how many yards they had. The 21-year-old receiver guessed it was Brandon Marshall, who spent three years in Chicago and is No. 13 on the list. It’s safe to say he didn’t expect the answer to be Johnny Morris with 5,059 yards.

“In the career?!” Odunze exclaimed as he and the hosts laughed. He immediately took that as a challenge, though. “I hope I’ll go break that record and hopefully add a few thousand to that… 5,000 is the goal, then. Let’s get after it.”

For Bears fans, it’s no secret that the team has struggled to develop and maintain prolific wide receivers. Productive players like Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, and Allen Robinson were only around for a few years, and former Bears receiver Muhsin Muhammad infamously said that Chicago was where receivers go to die. Morris played in the 1950s and 1960s, and his receiving record is the lowest of any all-time team leader in the league.

Odunze was shocked at the ineptitude of the position but is prepared to change and make history within the organization. Here’s hoping he’s around long enough to break the record and provide the Bears offense with a consistent and dangerous receiving threat for many years to come.

WATCH: WR Rome Odunze gets the draft call from the Bears

The Bears made the call to Rome Odunze and they couldn’t be happier about landing the stud wide receiver.

The Chicago Bears knew they were going to be making a call to quarterback Caleb Williams during the 2024 NFL Draft. They weren’t as certain they would be doing the same to wide receiver Rome Odunze, but everyone seemed excited that they were able to make it happen.

Chicago made Odunze their choice at No. 9 overall, pairing him with Williams to give the offense two new cornerstones as they enter a new era of football. When the call was made to Odunze, general manager Ryan Poles, head coach Matt Eberflus, and team president Kevin Warren all spoke to their newest player.

Poles kicked things off with a simple question: “You ready to roll?” he asked Odunze. “Oh yeah, let’s do it,” Odunze said. Poles says it’s going to be fun, and it’s hard to disagree with him.

When the phone got passed to Eberflus, he still seemed shocked that the Bears were able to land Odunze. “Can you believe this, man?” he said with a smile. “I could not believe that it worked out exactly like we said it would.” Eberflus mentioned how difficult it’s going to be for opposing defenses to stop him, DJ Moore, and Keenan Allen at the receiver position. “The trio of us? Oh, we’re going to make it happen now,” Odunze said.

Eberflus confirmed what Poles had said during Thursday night’s press conference: This was the plan all along. The Bears had a vision of pairing Williams and Odunze, and the plan worked to perfection. It wasn’t a surprise twist or a smokescreen. They wanted the top quarterback and one of the top wide receivers, something this organization hasn’t prioritized throughout its history.

Odunze is clearly excited to work with Williams and the other veteran wide receivers. This phone call is hopefully just the beginning of a long and prosperous career in Chicago.

WATCH: QB Caleb Williams gets the draft call from the Bears

Caleb Williams and Ryan Poles could not contain their excitement when the draft call was finally made.

There’s nothing like that one phone call at the NFL Draft that changes a player’s life forever. For quarterback Caleb Williams, he knew for a while that the call was going to come from the Chicago Bears at No. 1 overall.

The worst-kept secret in the NFL finally became a reality on Thursday when the Bears made Williams their top selection in the draft. The USC star becomes the next franchise quarterback of the Bears, and he is set to usher in a new era of football in the Windy City.

The team made sure to show how the call went between Williams and general manager Ryan Poles, head coach Matt Eberflus, and team president Kevin Warren. Poles didn’t hide his excitement about how long he’s been waiting to make this call.

“Who is this?” Poles joked with Williams as they both laughed. “They told me to hold it for five minutes. I told everyone I’ve been holding it for a month.” Williams commented that he had been waiting longer than that. “Five months,” he said with a smile.

Eberflus couldn’t hold back his excitement either. “This day is going to go down as an iconic day in Bears history, my friend,” he said to Williams. He even told his new quarterback that he loved him.

Warren then made sure to acknowledge that he and the Bears are going to cross a few more items off Williams’ list that he has on his phone. “You can mark this next one off your list that you have; the next one we got to do is win a championship.”

All throughout the call, Williams couldn’t stop smiling and biting his lip as to what the next chapter of his life was about to be like. The newest Bears quarterback is excited for what’s to come, and his journey is just beginning.

WATCH: New Bears teammates Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze greet each other at NFL Draft

Caleb Williams made sure to find Rome Odunze at the NFL Draft after he was selected by the Bears.

The Chicago Bears ushered in a new era on offense Thursday night at the 2024 NFL Draft when they selected quarterback Caleb Williams No. 1 overall and wide receiver Rome Odunze at No. 9 overall. Williams had long been the favorite to be selected by the Bears, but Odunze was not as much of a certainty. It was music to Williams’ ears, though, as the new Bears quarterback couldn’t wait to greet his new teammate while at the draft in Detroit.

Williams snuck up behind Odunze while he was on a laptop, and the two embraced in a hug before firing each other up. “LeBron, D-Wade,” Williams said excitedly. “I’m ready, baby.”

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The two were opponents the last two years when they were at USC and Washington, respectively, but got to know one another during their time in the PAC-12. They were seen dapping each other up at the NFL Combine and made some news earlier this week when they were on the same flight to Detroit. It’s safe to say they will happily share a flight to Chicago when both are introduced as Bears on Friday.

Caleb Williams reacts to the Bears drafting WR Rome Odunze

Caleb Williams couldn’t contain his excitement when he saw the Bears select Rome Odunze.

New Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams didn’t have to wait long to see who his new teammate would be—and he was pretty darn happy about it. The Bears selected wide receiver Rome Odunze with the No. 9 overall pick, giving Williams a new weapon to utilize in a suddenly stacked offense. After seeing the two develop a friendship over the last few months during the pre-draft process, it should come as no surprise to see Williams’ reaction to the selection.

Williams couldn’t contain his excitement backstage when he saw Odunze’s name pop up. “I would have spiked this water if we didn’t have cameras,” he said. “We got our guy,” he said while smiling. It’s pretty clear he’s thrilled about the new addition.

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Williams and Odunze were opponents the last two years when they were at USC and Washington, respectively, but got to know one another during their time in the PAC-12. The two were seen dapping each other up at the NFL Combine and made some news earlier this week when they were on the same flight to Detroit. They also worked out with Keenan Allen and DJ Moore. Now, all four are teammates on the Bears.

Bears QB Caleb Williams jersey number revealed

Caleb Williams has only been a Bear for a short time, but he already has a jersey number picked.

Caleb Williams has only been a Chicago Bear for a short time, but he already has his jersey number set. Shortly after he was selected with the No. 1 overall pick, the Bears announced Williams would wear No. 18 in the pros in a very cool reveal on social media.

Williams had worn No. 13 throughout college at both Oklahoma and USC, but wore No. 18 when he was in high school. Now, he’s going back in that direction with the Bears. Perhaps part of that is due to new wide receiver Keenan Allen, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Chargers in a trade back in March. Allen has worn No. 13 for his entire career and expressed a desire to keep it when he joined the Bears.

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Unfortunately, those fans who purchased No. 13 Williams jerseys will now have a fun collectible. Perhaps they can duct tape Allen’s name over the nameplate ahead of the 2024 season.

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Caleb Williams shares initial reaction to the Bears trading Justin Fields

The Bears trading Justin Fields signified that Caleb Williams was likely coming to Chicago. Here’s how he reacted when the trade went down.

It’s been over a month since the Chicago Bears moved on from quarterback Justin Fields and sent him to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a conditional 2025 sixth-round draft pick. The trade cleared a major hurdle in the team’s pursuit of a quarterback at No. 1 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, which is widely expected to be USC’s Caleb Williams.

The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner has been projected to be the top overall pick for quite some time, and it felt inevitable that he would wind up with the Bears once they secured the No. 1 pick by way of the Carolina Panthers. But there was still conversation and debate that took place regarding Fields and whether or not Chicago would benefit from sticking with him instead and moving down the draft to accumulate picks. Once Fields was dealt, it made the Bears’ intentions that much clearer to everyone—including Williams.

Speaking with the Pivot Podcast, Williams was asked what his first thought was when he learned Fields had been traded. “My phone explodes,” Williams said. “I ended up calling a couple people and was just like, ‘well, we know where their mind and heart is at this instance.’ Let’s prepare and get ready and handle things accordingly and still do our due diligence on the situation.”

Williams immediately realized what that move meant, though. “In that moment, it was kind of like ‘wow’ because I didn’t do my top-30 visit yet; they didn’t have my medicals and things like that. They have it all now; it was nothing. And I had a good time on my top 30, but it was interesting right in that moment because it was so unexpected in that instance.”

Up to that point, Williams had only met formally with the Bears at the NFL Combine. His pro day had yet to happen, and his top-30 visit wasn’t scheduled until April. It sounds like Williams had a good idea he was the Bears’ target but didn’t expect them to make their intentions fully known without going through the other meetings yet.

Since then, there has been plenty of communication between Williams and the Bears, and reports indicate both sides are pleased with one another. It would be the upset of the century to not see him holding up a Bears jersey with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. After moving on from their old quarterback in March, the Bears are just days away from welcoming their new one in April.

The Chicago Bears are checking all the boxes for QB Caleb Williams

It sounds like the Bears have impressed Caleb Williams with how the team has been constructed.

Just a few short months ago, rumors were spreading that presumptive first-overall pick Caleb Williams wouldn’t want to play for the Chicago Bears due to their track record at the quarterback position. At that point, the Bears had recently locked up the top pick by way of the Carolina Panthers and had Williams in their sights while coming off a 7-10 season that saw multiple coaching changes on the offensive side of the ball.

Since then, the Bears have made key moves to bolster their offense, whether it’s bringing in new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, signing running back D’Andre Swift, or trading for Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen. With those additions, joining wide receiver DJ Moore, tight end Cole Kmet, and an above-average offensive line, it’s all setting up for an ideal situation for Williams, who is set to become the Bears’ next quarterback in less than a week when the NFL Draft gets underway. Based on reports and recent comments, he’s pretty happy with what the Bears and the city of Chicago have to offer.

On Friday, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero shared a breakdown of the top quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft with insight from executives and scouts. Not surprisingly, Williams was at the top, but Pelissero revealed information on how the quarterback viewed the Bears’ situation following his top 30 visit.

Team officials have stayed in touch with Williams since via video chat sessions, just talking football. There still is a matter of agreeing to a contract, which could be more complicated than a normal slotted deal, given the uniqueness of Caleb’s draft process thus far. But sources say the quarterback’s conversations with the Bears have been very frank and positive. The Williams camp sent the message early about what it wanted — investment and infrastructure to help Caleb reach his next goal of chasing Tom Brady and winning Super Bowls — and the Bears so far have delivered. 

The smoke that surrounded Williams’ alleged disinterest in Chicago has fully cleared, and it sounds like he’s bought into what the Bears have to offer. Having a strong infrastructure is important for the 22-year-old quarterback, who has made it known he wants to win and become a legend in the game.

That was evident during a recent interview on the Pivot Podcast. During the interview, Williams is asked how he will help Chicago win a championship. “Now that I want to play at one place for 20 years and chase one guy, No. 12 (Tom Brady),” Williams said. “I want a place that loves ball. That’s all I’ve heard about Chicago so far.”

The Bears have the pieces in place for Williams to succeed out of the gate, and Chicago has the passion behind their football team that he desires. It sounds like the Bears have checked all of the boxes for Williams, and he’s fired up to become the team’s next quarterback, who will hopefully give them a true franchise quarterback for the first time in half a century.

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LOOK: Bears players report for first day of offseason program

The Bears have reported for their first day of school (aka, the offseason program).

The Chicago Bears were one of 25 teams to kick off their offseason program on Monday, where new and returning players reported to Halas Hall for the first phase of the offseason.

With the first phase of their offseason program, there is no on-field activity permitted. But there will be meetings, strength and conditioning work plus rehabilitation.

It’s shaping up to be a franchise-altering offseason for Chicago, who traded quarterback Justin Fields and will draft his replacement in Caleb Williams with the first overall pick. They also have another top-10 selection and added some key pieces in free agency in wide receiver Keenan Allen, safety Kevin Byard, running back D’Andre Swift and tight end Gerald Everett. But there’s still some work for general manager Ryan Poles to do in the 2024 NFL draft.

The Bears social media accounts shared some images and videos of new and returning players, including wide receiver DJ Moore, safety Kevin Byard and cornerbacks Kyler Gordon and Tyrique Stevenson.

The Bears will hit the practice field later this spring for OTAs (May 20-21, May 23, May 28-29 and May 31) and finally mandatory minicamp (June 4-6), which will mark the final organized set of practices before training camp in late July.

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Montez Sweat predicts breakout year for Bears teammate Gervon Dexter

Bears DE Montez Sweat believes DT Gervon Dexter is “gonna jump out on on the scene” this year.

There are high expectations surrounding the Chicago Bears defense, which had a strong finish to the 2023 season. Now, they have the potential to be a top-five defense in the NFL.

Chicago has an ascending secondary returning All-Pro cornerback Jaylon Johnson, a top linebacker duo with T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds and a star edge rusher in Montez Sweat. And there are some young players on the roster looking to take a step forward this season.

Sweat recently appeared on the Green Light Podcast with Chris Long, where he had high praise for defensive tackle Gervon Dexter, even going so far to predict a breakout season for last year’s second-round rookie.

“You’re gonna see man. He’s pretty good,” Sweat said about Dexter. “I feel like he’s still just kind of unlocking himself and being himself. And I think that’s gonna really flourish this year, but he’s a really talented kid. He’s one of those quick [defensive] tackles and was strong as hell. It’s really is really a sight to see. But yeah, he’s gonna jump out on on the scene for sure.”

The Bears selected Dexter in the second round of the 2023 NFL draft, and he showed signs of his potential during his rookie season. While it took him some time to adjust to the pros, his improvement was notable with the more reps he saw. Dexter totaled 20 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 12 QB hits and two pass breakups in 17 games with one start.

With Justin Jones exiting in free agency, Chicago has a starting job to fill at three-technique. Dexter is the favorite to assume the role, especially given the Bears haven’t made a move to fill that vacant spot yet. We’ll see if Dexter can take the next step forward in Year 2.

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