Overview
- Sunday morning reports from NFL insiders said Rome Odunze is expected to play in the Bears’ Week 1 opener even though he remains officially listed as questionable with a right calf strain.
- Coach Ben Johnson said Odunze has 'looked good' in practice but repeatedly stressed the team will prioritize long-term health over a single game.
- If active, the Bears may limit Odunze’s snaps or use him in select situations rather than a full workload, a move that would shift targets to Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III.
- Chicago confirmed Odunze’s availability on game day with pregame activity and the official inactive list while also listing other players as questionable or inactive, including Xavier Woods and Tyson Bagent.
- Odunze’s calf issue traces to a Sept. 3 practice and is reported as separate from last season’s right-foot stress fracture, which helps explain the team’s cautious, medically driven clearance process.