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The Chicago Bears and Rome Odunze have agreed to terms on a four-year, $22.7 million fully guaranteed contract that will include a fifth-year option on Tuesday. Odunze will also receive a $13.3 million signing bonus.
Odunze signed his rookie contract the same day that rookies are scheduled to report to Halas Hall. Now that Odunze is officially signed, he will now be able to participate in the Bears’ first scheduled practice that will take place on July 20th at Halas Hall.
While Odunze was at Washington for four seasons, he caught 214 passes for 3,272 yards and 24 touchdowns. The 6-foot-3, 215 pound receiver also had 10 rush attempts for 40 yards and two scores.
The No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft will be a part of a stacked Bears wide receiver room with veterans DJ Moore and Keenan Allen. Despite this being his first season in the NFL, Odunze still has some lofty goals he would like to accomplish in Year 1.
“Yeah, no. 100% and I think that’s important for every player to set those goals and strive for the highest of the high,” Odunze said in early June. “It’s unique in my situation because I went to school with Puka Nacua because I was following him and got to see what he did. So absolutely I’m chasing that. I think he’s around 1,500, right? For that rookie season record. I’m absolutely chasing that. I think Brandon Marshall has the single season record here, right?
I’m forgetting the name of the guy who has the career record. … So you know, of course, chasing those records and I think that’s important because, and I said this at Washington, I’ll hopefully leave the Bears organization better than I found it and if I have my name on some of those records I feel like that’s just one facet of doing so. So absolutely.”
Now that Odunze is signed the focus turns to his rookie teammate and quarterback Caleb Williams — who at this point has not signed his rookie contract.