The Chicago Bears kick off the 2026 NFL regular season on the road Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. However, the status of third-year wide receiver Rome Odunze remains uncertain after he missed Monday’s practice with a right leg injury.
Here’s the latest on Odunze’s status and whether he’ll be able to suit up in Week 1.
Latest Rome Odunze Injury Update Ahead of Season Opener Against Panthers
Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic reported Odunze’s absence from Monday’s practice.
“No sign of WR Rome Odunze,” he mentioned following Monday’s practice.
Bears RBs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai were at practice today. DE Austin Booker practiced as well. No sign of WR Rome Odunze. Just a 40-minute practice to kick off Week 1.
— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) September 7, 2026
The injury first came to light on Thursday, September 3. During the Bears’ final padded practice of the preseason, The Athletic’s Dan Wiederer reported, “Rome Odunze left the field with a trainer in the first hour.”
Bears fans were able to breathe a sigh of relief, though, as Wiederer later provided a positive update: “Preliminary indications are that Bears WR Rome Odunze should be all good after leaving today’s practice. Bears breaking for the weekend tonight.”
His absence from Monday’s practice, however, keeps his status worth monitoring ahead of Week 1. ESPN’s Courtney Cronin also confirmed that it is an apparent leg injury Odunze is dealing with.
Rome Odunze (leg) not seen participating in practice Monday.
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) September 7, 2026
It is currently unclear how much time Odunze could miss with his leg injury, given the uncertainty surrounding its severity. However, the Bears’ first injury report, to be released Wednesday, should provide a better indication of where he stands heading into Week 1.
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Before the injury, Odunze was expected to be one of the Bears’ top target-earners this season. Chicago traded DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills, while head coach Ben Johnson repeatedly praised Odunze throughout training camp.
As recently as September 1, Johnson described Odunze as “Mr. Consistency,” adding that the WR’s performance in joint practice “inspires me not to want to get him the football but need to get him the football.”
Alongside Odunze, the Bears’ depth chart features second-year breakout candidate Luther Burden III, Kalif Raymond, preseason standout Zavion Thomas, and second-year undrafted free agent Jahdae Walker.
Former first-round pick Colston Loveland (PFN’s No. 3-ranked TE in 2025) is also expected to be a featured pass-catcher at tight end, while veteran Cole Kmet has been a model of consistency throughout his six NFL seasons.
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Losing Odunze for Week 1, or potentially longer, would certainly hurt, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world for Chicago, given the surrounding weapons and Caleb Williams’ ability to improvise at an elite level.
Regardless, Chicago’s Wednesday injury report should provide the clearest indication yet of Odunze’s status for the season opener.
