Rome Odunze, the Chicago Bears’ star wide receiver, will miss this Saturday’s showdown against the Cleveland Browns. You can catch this intriguing matchup, which could have major playoff implications, on Sunday. He had worsened his persistent plantar fasciitis during pregame warmups. This incident created a lot of concern surrounding his fitness and future availability for the rest of the season.
Although he attended the game, Odunze was first expected not to be one of the team’s inactives. But just before kickoff, it was announced that he would be out for the game. For the Bears, his absence is hard to feel. Odunze has been a focal point of their air attack this year.
During the weekday practices, Odunze was limited due to chronic foot and heel concerns. These issues have been listed on the injury report since October. They were first listed as a heel injury. These complications have hamstrung him over the past few weeks. Last week’s loss to the Green Bay Packers was as brutal as they come. It was the first game of his career that he would be unable to play due to an injury.
Odunze, now the Bears have the team’s top wideout, who has a team-high 44 receptions, 661 receiving yards, and six TD catches this year. His contributions off the field have been instrumental for the team. As they get ready to try to counter a shark-toothed Browns D, that absence is even more pronounced.
When we checked in with the Bears coaching staff earlier this week, they were optimistic about Odunze’s recovery. His ongoing injury woe has once again turned focus to when he’ll be back out there. With playoffs looming, the team needs to be sure on his physical status. They have to test his judgment, including how he handles himself when the chips are down.
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