Rome Odunze's Reported MCL Sprain Could Challenge Bears Offense

Bears rookie has an MCL sprain, according to ESPN, and now they may need to find other options in an offense that already looked limited in Week 1.

Rome Odunze has an MCL sprain according to a report by ESPN's Adam Schefter. / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

The Bears could need to play for a while without their third member of the Big Three.

The cynical would say they didn’t use him very much anyway and the cynical might be right.

Rome Odunze has a sprained MCL according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Odunze got targeted only four times in the game and caught one for an 11-yard gain.  No one besides DJ Moore and Keenan Allen had more than one reception in the game.

Velus Jones and a Titans player collide with Rome Odunze and he goes down awkwardly late in the 4th quarter. I would expect this is the play where Odunze was potentially injured. pic.twitter.com/JO6tKdCBD8

— Bill Zimmerman (@BillTZimmerman) September 9, 2024

Bears coach Matt Eberflus said Monday he would update the media on the injury’s severity Wednesday after an MRI but that usually means an agent will do it first earlier.

Eberflus couldn’t pinpoint when the injury occurred at Monday’s press conference but video from the game appears to show he injured it on the next-to-last Bears possession as they were trying to kill clock, while he was run-blocking.

He was struck from behind on his leg while blocking for Velus Jones on an 8-yard catch and run. Then, two plays later he came out of the game after throwing a block on the left side of the field as D’Andre Swift ran upfield for 20 yards.

If Odunze doesn’t play, they could activate Tyler Scott, as he sat out last week’s game on the inactive list. They could also move Jones there from his new gadget role, or Caleb Williams could use DeAndre Carter more as a receiver. Carter was targeted twice and had a 6-yard reception.

They could also turn to using more 12-personnel and target the tight ends more. Cole Kmet had only 27 plays in the game, seven less than backup tight end Gerald Everett.

The tight ends both were targeted one time in the game.

Twitter: BearsOnSI