Why Bears view Keenan Allen, DJ Moore as perfect WR duo to mentor Rome Odunze
Why Bears view Keenan Allen, DJ Moore as perfect WR duo to mentor Rome Odunze originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Rome Odunze knows he landed in arguably the best spot for a rookie wide receiver in Chicago.
The Bears drafted Odunze with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, just eight selections after they tabbed quarterback Caleb Williams to be the face of the franchise.
Odunze will not only start his NFL career alongside Williams but will also get to learn from two of the best receivers in the NFL in DJ Moore and Keenan Allen.
The Bears view Odunze as a hybrid of their two veteran stars and believe Moore and Allen will form the perfect mix to mentor the Washington star.
"At the end of the day, I don’t know if you can get two better mentors – and two different skillsets," Bears wide receivers coach Chris Beatty said Saturday after Day 2 of rookie minicamp. "DJ is like a bull in a china shop, and Keenan is like paint the edges on Picasso. At the end of the day, you get every angle. And Rome is kind of in between. There are times when he’s rugged and rough like DJ, and then there’s part of his game that’s intricate like Keenan.
"At the end of the day, I think he can learn from both of them because his skillset is a little bit in between them, and it gives him a chance to be able to learn from two of the best in the business."
With the offseason additions of Odunze and Allen, the Bears will potentially field the most dynamic trio of receivers in the NFL- one whose skill sets will mesh seamlessly together as the Bears work to craft a lethal offense around Williams.
"You start with DJ; he’s one of the best in the world with the ball in his hands," Beatty said. "As far as his ability for in-breakers and creating opportunities after the catch, he’s as good as it gets in any league. Keenan, having worked with him the last [couple of years], does a little bit of everything. He works third downs like nobody in the business. He’s able to work the middle of the field, so he can do a lot of things in that regard. Rome can complement them by being a contested catcher outside the numbers. He can do some things outside on the deep part of the field to complement those guys and their games."
The Bears acquired Allen for a fourth-round pick in March. The 32-year-old is entering his 12th season in the NFL and should be an invaluable resource for everyone in the wide receiver room, from Odunze to Moore.
"Keenan’s a vet," Beatty said. "He’s seen it all and done it all. He’s one of those guys that everyone can lean on because there’s not a look out there that he hasn’t seen, and he’s one of the smartest guys I’ve been around. He’s a great coach off the field. He can reiterate things because he knows how I think, and I know how he thinks, so he knows how to say it the way I would like for it to be said to the younger guys.
"He’s one of these guys that everyone’s grown up watching, so when you actually get a chance to go out there and, people are trying to pattern your game after him when you see him day-to-day. You see why he is what he is as opposed to just the highlights on Twitter and YouTube."
Odunze did not practice Saturday due to hamstring tightness, but the rookie wide receiver has everyone at Halas Hall excited, including his new quarterback.
"You obviously see why he had, what, 1500 plus?" Williams said of Odunze on Friday. "And a bunch of catches. He's explosive for his size, explosive route runner and things like that. He's also really smooth in and out of routes and transitions. So working with him, it's been great, it's been awesome. I'm excited for what's next."
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