On third-and-5 from the Kansas City Chiefs’ 10-yard line, Caleb Williams attempted to hit Rome Odunze in the back portion of the end zone for a touchdown midway through the second quarter, but the Chiefs’ safety settled in the middle of the field instead of running past Odunze. Williams’ pass fell incomplete after Odunze knocked the pass down before it could potentially be intercepted.

Despite the play not resulting in what Williams and Odunze wanted, there were still positive takeaways.

“Honestly, I appreciate him (Williams), you know, putting it up there and giving a shot,” Odunze said. “I believe that it’s going to be me or nobody. So, he has that reassurance that I’m not going to let the ball get in the enemy team’s hands. He was able to make a play on that. But of course, we want to score a touchdown, but every look is different. So, it’s hard to say exactly how it’s going to go down, but we have the chemistry to make it work.”

With Williams and Odunze now in Year 2, it’s their developing chemistry that should allow Odunze to position himself for a big jump in 2025.

Odunze finished his rookie season with 54 receptions for 734 yards and three touchdowns in 17 games played. The former No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft finished third on the Bears in receiving yards, behind DJ Moore (966) and Keenan Allen (744).

His rookie season was filled with moments that flashed his playmaking ability, like his touchdown in the back right corner of the end zone against the San Francisco 49ers.

At the same time, there was also a disconnect between him and Williams. A potential big play in the middle of the field against the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday Night Football stands out.

Williams and Odunze’s connection will be vital for the team’s success. The incomplete pass in the back of the end zone against the Chiefs this preseason is a play the two believe they can capitalize on in Year 2.

“I think it’s just continued reps at it,” Odunze said. “Honestly, you know, from the first time that I got here, I would say it wasn’t one of our things, you know what I’m saying? Something that was very new, that back five is something that is very specific to NFL football. There’s a lot of touchdowns that are caught back there. Not necessarily like college, so that’s something that we just continue to work on and continue to develop in practice, outside of practice, and all that. So really just something that we’ve worked at.”

Odunze and the rest of the offensive players have also put in plenty of work learning head coach Ben Johnson’s scheme. Throughout training camp and the preseason, there have been plenty of penalties and reps that have had miscues.

That doesn’t appear to bother Odunze’s confidence as he believes the unit has shown “plenty of improvement” from where the offense started back in OTAs.

The 6-foot-3, 214-pound receiver has the frame to capitalize on 50/50 balls on the outside and the route running to work inside and find open pockets in the middle of the field. These attributes make Odunze a tough cover for opposing defensive backs.

It’s also why Williams has targeted him plenty throughout training camp. It wouldn’t be surprising if Odunze ended the 2025 season as the Bears’ leading receiver over Moore. And Odunze feels his game is now more equipped for the NFL.

“I’ve kind of conformed to the NFL receiver play,” Odunze said. “I think I was a little bit more rugged, kind of in my college wide receiver play, just kind of making plays where I needed to make plays. I obviously had discipline within route running and different things, but I feel like I’ve took those things to another notch, you know, understanding windows, understanding leverage of defenses and the cornerbacks and all those different things where safety is our plan.”

Everything is set for Odunze to cement himself as the No. 1 weapon for Williams in Johnson’s offense. But it all goes back to chemistry – something the two established early in their careers when they both were drafted nine picks apart in Detroit for the 2024 NFL Draft.

It even stems before that when Odunze was at Washington and watching Williams produce highlight-caliber plays at USC.

“I think we just kind of connected early in our relationship in that dynamic,” Odunze said. “You know, I got to see him in college, so I’ve seen those plays and I’ve got to watch on the sideline. You can make something happen from wherever on the field. So I guess kind of in the back of my mind, I know the plays never over and I just try and find a spot that has some space, has some green grass and we’ve obviously found it connected on a couple of those in season. So I think that kind of just builds our chemistry obviously out here on the practice field as well and continuing going into this season. He makes plays back there, I just try and be an asset for him.”