Summer time is the season of everlasting optimism within the NFL world. Due to a mixture of rookie draft picks, free agent signings, and the final concept of parity within the league, all 32 groups spend the summer season believing that this yr might actually be their yr.
Optimism is likely to be highest within the Windy Metropolis, the place after a 7-10 season there may be reputable discuss of a playoff run for the Chicago Bears. Normal Supervisor Ryan Poles made numerous key additions this spring, notably within the draft the place the Bears added quarterback Caleb Williams with the first-overall choice, and offered him with a possible game-breaking extensive receiver just a few picks later in Rome Odunze.
And talking at Bears’ necessary minicamp Wednesday, the rookie receiver said that he has some lofty targets getting into his first NFL marketing campaign. Particularly, chasing a report set by a former school teammate.
“I believe that’s necessary for each participant to set these targets and attempt for the best of the highs,” Odunze stated Wednesday. “It’s distinctive in my scenario as a result of I went to highschool with Puka Nacua, so I used to be following him and acquired to see what he did, so, completely, I’m chasing that. I believe he’s proper round 1,500, proper? For that rookie season report. Completely chasing that.”
Whereas Nacua is probably finest identified for what he did at BYU, the place he spent his closing two school seasons, he started his school profession at Washington.
The place he was teammates with Odunze.
As a rookie with the Los Angeles Rams Nacua set numerous data, together with probably the most receiving yards for a rookie (1,486, breaking the report set by Invoice Groman in 1960 over a 14-game season) in addition to probably the most receptions by a rookie (105, breaking the mark set by Jaylen Waddle of 104 again in 2021).
As if these targets weren’t lofty sufficient, Odunze has some franchise data in thoughts.
“I believe Brandon Marshall has the single-season report right here, proper?” added the rookie receiver.
Brandon Marshall owns Chicago’s single-season receiving yardage mark of 1,508, and is one other report the rookie is focusing on. Together with the profession receiving yardage mark of 5,059, set by Johnny Morris.
“After all, chasing these data, and I believe that’s necessary as a result of, you already know, I stated this at Washington, I hopefully go away the Bears group higher than I discovered it,” he stated. “And if I’ve my identify on a few of these data, I really feel like that’s only one side of doing so.”
Summer time of optimism.
