Overview
- On Thursday Odunze publicly reversed his offseason phrasing, saying his injured foot “feels amazing” and that there are no lingering issues from the break.
- He acknowledged he misspoke about a supposed “new normal,” telling reporters he “didn’t articulate that well” and that the earlier language created unintended concern.
- Odunze missed the final five regular-season games in 2025 with a broken foot and finished that season with 44 catches for 661 yards and six touchdowns before a limited return in the playoffs.
- With DJ Moore traded to Buffalo, the Bears are projecting Odunze as their No. 1 receiver and team leaders have highlighted depth pieces such as Luther Burden III and tight end Colston Loveland.
- The clarification matters for game planning because it calms questions about Odunze’s availability, affects target distribution for rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, and reflects work by Chicago’s training staff on his rehab.