Bears Pro Bowl WR believes Rome Odunze is better than he was as a rookie

There are plenty of reasons to be excited about the Bears this season and it starts with No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams.

The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner threw for 8,170 yards, 72 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions the past two years at USC and should instantly make Chicago's offense better.

However, six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen thinks the Bears' second first-round pick, wide receiver Rome Odunze, could have just as much of an impact as a rookie.

"He's a little bit better than me when I came in," Allen said . "He's faster. I think he comes out of his breaks better than I did when I was that young. He looks more polished than I was as a receiver."

That's high praise from Allen, who put together an impressive rookie season in 2013, registering 71 catches for 1,046 yards and eight touchdowns.

It feels unlikely that Odunze will put together a similar or better statistical year than that, however.

Chicago has several other playmakers besides Allen and Odunze who will want their fair share of touches on a weekly basis, including running back D'Andre Swift, wide receiver DJ Moore and tight ends Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett.

That isn't to say it will be impossible, but it will be very difficult. Odunze does have the makings of an elite wide receiver.

Over the past two years at Washington, he reeled in 167 catches for 2,785 yards and 20 touchdowns. As a result, the Bears believed it was an obvious choice to select him with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Odunze might be further along in his development than Allen was when he entered the league, but matching Allen's numbers could be a stretch. Chicago catching a lot of teams by surprise, on the other hand, is not.