The Chicago Bears have lost more games to injuries this season than any team in the NFL. It's been an epidemic of the highest degree. Several starters have missed at least a month or more of action. Some are done for the season. Neither side of the ball is immune. What has stood out the most with the ailments is how many of them are soft tissue-related, including hamstrings, calves, quads, and groin. Usually, when that is a problem, it speaks to a questionable program from your strength and conditioning staff. Then we have Rome Odunze.
It was reported last week that the Bears receiver has been suffering from a stress fracture in his foot. To some, that meant he'd likely miss some time. However, Odunze appeared to be aiming to play on Sunday against Cleveland. Then he apparently aggravated it in warmups. Head coach Ben Johnson had an interesting comment on Monday about Odunze's recovery outlook.
"I know he wants to be out there on the field competing, contributing and helping our team win. There may be a case where we got to protect him from himself a little bit."
This all but confirms something that has been speculated about the Bears training staff all year. They have given the players way too much leeway in deciding when to return. This then opens the door for them to aggravate their injuries. It already happened in September with Jaylon Johnson, who many thought returned too soon from a groin problem. Now Odunze.
Rome Odunze will likely be shut down for a few weeks.
It's unfortunate because the receiver started off the season so hot. He was a touchdown machine and looked poised for a breakout. Having things undone due to a foot injury must feel incredibly frustrating, especially for a competitor like him. The good news is that Chicago seems capable of handling his absence well enough. Luther Burden and Colston Loveland have both stepped up in a big way over the past two weeks. D.J. Moore had one of his best games against Cleveland. The Bears have enough pieces to remain effective in the passing game.
A healthy Rome Odunze will help them much more in meaningful games than one who only has one foot. It is the responsibility of a football team to do what is best for the players. If it were their choice, most would play even if they're far below 100%. While an admirable sentiment, it's also a reckless one. As Johnson said, players must sometimes be protected from themselves. The Bears training staff hasn't done a good job of that by any measure. Something needs to change, and soon.
