Rome Odunze sends a clear message to DJ Moore and Keenan Allen

DJ Moore had the best season of his career in 2023, throwing for over 1,300 yards. One thing is certain for the coming season. He will have to fight much harder to get targets. It’s no longer Darnell Mooney and Tyler Scott he has to worry about. The Chicago Bears made that clear by adding Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze to the mix. Moore admitted to Kay Adams that it would be a dogfight between the three of them this season. He called it a 1,000-yard race. It depends on who has the best chemistry with Caleb Williams and matches up with Shane Waldron’s new offense.

One thing is clear. Odunze has no intention of letting the veterans take the lead. The 9th overall pick spoke about his situation during his rookie minicamp press conference. He recognized the competitive environment between the three players and embraced it fully. In his mind, the best thing is for everyone in that room to operate as if he were the No. 1 guy. This means he has no intention of accepting a reserve role. Odunze will run every route at 100%, never letting go.

Moore and Allen better do the same.

Rome Odunze is no stranger to competitive environments.

It’s a problem he’s been dealing with since high school. He was teammates with Cedric Tillman and Jalen Nailor. Tillman became a 3rd round pick of Cleveland and Nailor a 6th round pick of Minnesota. Then, in college, he worked alongside Ja’lynn Polk and Jalen McMillan in Washington. Polk became a 2nd round pick for the Patriots, while McMillan went in the 3rd round to the Buccaneers. Odunze always seems to find himself in wide receiver rooms that have no shortage of talent, and he always seems to be the one who rises to the top.

It’s becoming more and more obvious why the Bears drafted him so high. Rome Odunze is not just a competitor; he’s gifted. Usually when these two characteristics are combined you get an exceptional player. Moore and Allen are used to being the big dogs on offense. This mentality will not change. Odunze is the same. If he has to fight for targets in this group, he will. Not with whining or constant calls for the ball, but with his hard work and intention to make every catch.