Good morning, Bears fans!
Caleb Williams is the featured guest on the Kelce Bros. podcast later today.
Seems like a good time to officially drop that Madden cover, no?
— Kevin Kaduk
01 Stadium News
Brandon Johnson: Chicago ‘in the mix’
The Bears have said it’s only Arlington Heights vs. Hammond. Yet the team’s failure in Springfield hs opened the door for a Brandon Johnson media tour in an attempt to reassert the city’s candidacy. Is Kevin Warren running the same playbook he used to get a downtown stadium in Minneapolis?
02 Training Camp
Bengals to host Bears for joint practice
The team will head to Cincinnati for an Aug. 20 meetup before their preseason game two days later. The two teams met for a practice at Halas Hall in 2024 with two Bengals suffering serious leg injuries in the rain.
03 Pop Culture
Caleb Williams Bobblehead Day
And it’s taking place at the South Side. Fans who buy a special ticket for the Sunday, September 6 game against the Twins will get the keepsake. Proceeds will support the Caleb Cares Foundation.
1️⃣0️⃣2️⃣ Days Until The Season Opener
🎂Bears Birthdays: Rome Odunze (24)
“There’s no plan in Hammond. There’s none of that in the suburbs. We are already further along than any other site that might even be considered.”
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Happy Birthday, Rome!
(Have Yourself a Year)
(Chicago Bears)
A very happy 24th birthday to Rome Odunze, who somehow just may be the forgotten man in this Chicago Bears offense.
To wit:
Colston Loveland is everywhere you look on social media … and at the top of tight end projections, too.
Even rookies like Zavion Thomas and Sam Roush are getting plenty of buzz for how they might perform under Johnson.
Then there’s Odunze, the ninth pick of the 2024 NFL draft and someone who’s turned in his fair share of highlights over his first two seasons.
Odunze was the centerpiece of the Bears’ schedule release video and yes, it is hyperbole to say he’s been forgotten. He was front and center when he hauled in last week’s insane OTA throw from Caleb.
But I don’t think it’s a stretch to say he’s flying a little under the radar entering this season.
Timing is everything, of course.
Had we done this after the first seven games of last season, Odunze would’ve been the lede. After a blistering start to the year, Odunze was on pace for 75 catches, 1,150 yards and 10 touchdowns. Burden and Loveland had yet to break through.
But then things flipped. Odunze suffered a stress fracture in his foot sometime in October and it derailed his season, causing him to miss the last five games of the regular year and hampering him in the postseason.
Odunze’s final 2025 line was 44 catches for 661 yards and six touchdowns.
His reception against the Packers on 4th and 8 in the wild card round may have saved the season, while his early drop against the Rams a week later was part of the reason it didn’t continue.
In a world of “what have you done for me lately?” the latter definitely seems to be sticking at the front of our minds more.
But assuming his foot troubles don’t carry over, 2026 sets up nicely for Odunze.
DJ Moore’s reception share is up for grabs and the added threat poised by Burden and Loveland should open some things up for Odunze.
A few more points:
ESPN’s Mike Clay projects Odunze to finish the season with 59 receptions for 1,030 yards and eight touchdowns, ahead of Burden (75-938-5) and Loveland (80-898-6).
Matt Harmon’s Reception Perception shows Odunze ranks in the 85th and 93rd percentiles when it comes to success rate against man and press coverage, … but needs improvement when it comes to his performance against zone (46th percentile).
Odunze currently sits with an average fantasy draft position of 56 at Fantasy Pros with Burden sitting 14 spots higher at 42. (Two Bears receivers in the top 60? I can’t believe this is my life.)
All in all, here’s hoping that Odunze embraces his current situation of having already accomplished some things, yet remaining aware there’s plenty of room to build.
And when he blows out the candles on his cake tonight, there’s really only wish.
(Great health.)
Matt Bowen thinks Caleb wins MVP in 2026. (Bears Wire)
Hammond mayor Thomas McDermott believes the Bears decision is coming within 30 days. (Chi City Sports)
Five players to watch in Week 2 of OTAs. (Bear Report)
What Bret Bielema and Illinois football learned from a visit with Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears (Fox 32)
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