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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 18: Rome Odunze #15 of the Chicago Bears looks on before the game against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Divisional Playoffs at Soldier Field on January 18, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
According to a recent Sports Illustrated article, the Chicago Bears already have their No. 1 wide receiver.
Rome Odunze is starting to look like that guy and the comparisons around him are only getting louder.
Pete Martuneac connected Odunze to Seattle Seahawks star Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who just reset the wide receiver market Monday morning, after a historic season.
“Rome Odunze is already fulfilling a similar career arc as Jaxon Smith-Njigba,” Martuneac noted. He pointed to how Odunze’s early 2025 production was trending before his injury slowed things down.
Through seven games last season, Odunze was on pace for 75 receptions, 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns. That kind of jump would have closely mirrored what Smith Njigba showed in his second year before taking a massive leap.
The similarities go beyond just stats. Both players showed strong route running early, quickly became reliable targets and flashed the ability to take over games. Smith Njigba turned that progression into an Offensive Player of the Year season.
Ian Rapoport
The #Seahawks and Jaxon Smith-Njigba have a deal, as he is now the highest paid WR in the NFL, getting a 4-year, $168.6M contract extension with $120M guaranteed, per his agent at @WinSportsGroup.
Now the question is whether Odunze is next in line to make that same jump.
Bears Could See Everything Change in Year Three
The numbers only add to the comparison.
Through his first two seasons, Odunze has totaled 98 receptions for 1,395 yards and nine touchdowns in 29 games.
Smith Njigba’s first two seasons followed a similar upward trajectory, finishing his second year with 100 receptions for 1,130 yards after posting 63 catches for 628 yards as a rookie.
By Year 3, he exploded for 119 receptions, 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns, turning steady growth into elite production. That type of production turned him into one of the most valuable players in the league and ultimately led to his record setting contract.
When you line up the progression between the two, Odunze is not far off the same path, especially when factoring in the pace he was on before injury last season.
That is the kind of leap Odunze now has a chance to make.
The Bears have not had a receiver dominate at that level in a long time. For years, the offense has lacked a true game changing presence on the outside. Odunze has the talent to change that and now he has the role to match it.
Bears Have Created Full Opportunity for Odunze
The biggest difference working in Odunze’s favor right now is opportunity.
The Bears made a major move this offseason by trading DJ Moore, and that decision completely changes the outlook of the wide receiver room. There is no longer any debate about who the top option is. This is Odunze’s offense when it comes to the passing game.
That kind of role matters.
Young receivers often need volume to take the next step, and Odunze is now in position to see exactly that. He should be the primary target in key situations and the focal point of the passing attack.
The situation around him only adds to the upside. Caleb Williams gives the Bears a quarterback who can extend plays and create opportunities downfield. Head coach Ben Johnson is known for building creative offenses that put playmakers in space. Everything is lined up for Odunze to produce at a high level if he stays healthy.
If he puts it all together, he could step into the conversation with the best receivers in the NFL.