The Chicago Bears' offense has continued to excel over the past month thanks to the ascent of wide receiver Luther Burden and tight end Colston Loveland. It has made it easy to forget the team hasn't had its most productive target for several weeks. Rome Odunze got off to a torrid start this season, setting a pace that would've had him eclipse double-digit touchdowns before half the year was over. Then he suffered a stress fracture in his foot. He tried playing through it, but it was clear he didn't have the same explosiveness.
Chicago opted to shut him down.
General belief has been that they would keep him out until the start of the playoffs, hoping the foot would settle down by then. It felt like the plan was working, as Odunze had practiced for the first time in weeks, albeit on a limited basis. That seemed like a signal he would be ready to go next week in the playoff opener. Those hopes were somewhat cooled when Odunze provided an update, refusing to make any promises. He revealed that projections for his return have changed a few times in recent weeks, indicating the foot may not have progressed as much as hoped.
Rome Odunze doesn't have a typical injury.
Stress fractures typically require six to eight weeks to heal. Trying to play through it likely didn't do him any favors. He hasn't played since week thirteen. That means he has only been out four weeks, which isn't the recommended amount of time. It is reasonable to assume his foot still isn't 100%. That is why he won't play this week, and he left open the possibility he may not play in the wild card round either. It is possible the Bears' doctors aren't comfortable bringing him back until they're certain he won't make the injury worse.
This isn't easy news to digest. Rome Odunze is such a good player and a legitimate weapon when healthy. Having him back for a potential rematch with Green Bay would be huge. Alas, sometimes an injury doesn't care what you want. Odunze is a crucial part of this team's future. That means getting him back to full strength. If that means sacrificing a few more weeks, so be it. Burden, Loveland, and D.J. Moore should be able to carry things until then.
