Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze sprained his MCL in the club's Week 1 opener against the Tennessee Titans, according to ESPN. This comes after the pass-catcher underwent an MRI on Monday to judge the severity of the knee injury, and he is now considered week-to-week. Head coach Matt Eberflus told reporters he believes Odunze suffered the injury while blocking.
All in all, the prognosis isn't dire for the young receiver, as the "week-to-week" characterization of his potential absence suggests he could miss a game or two (if any at all). Considering how severe knee injuries can be and have the potential to be season-ending, Odunze appears to have dodged a more substantial bullet.
Odunze, who was the No. 9 overall pick at the 2024 NFL Draft, had a quiet debut as his Bears rallied from a double-digit deficit to beat the Titans at home in Week 1. The Washington product caught one of his four targets for 11 yards.
Chicago is slated to travel to Houston to face the Texans on "Sunday Night Football" in Week 2 and will then head to Indianapolis to face the Colts in Week 3. If Odunze does miss games, more of the target share will fall onto the shoulder of wideouts D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen. Tyler Scott and DeAndre Carter could also factor into the passing attack as well.