During the 2024 NFL Draft, not everyone wanted the Atlanta Falcons to take the risk and draft Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth pick. Some fans wanted them to draft a pass-rusher, and others wanted the best player available, which happened to be Penix's Washington teammate Rome Odunze.
Pairing up Odunze and Drake London would have been a lot of fun, especially considering receiver was a need for the Falcons at the time. But instead, Penix was the pick, while Odunze was selected by the Chicago Bears with the very next pick--where expectations were high, but he's disappointed.
He's displayed flashes of elite potential, but never consistently enough to put it all together. There was high hopes for a 6-foot-3 receiver who was a crisp route runner and had solid speed, and some thought he was a better prospect than Malik Nabers, who is currently one of the NFL's best receivers.
Last season, Odunze got off to a hot start, but then injuries derailed his momentum, and so far in 2026, he's stumbled out of the gate. He has one game this season with more than 52 yards receiving, and that came in Week 4 against the New York Jets, so he's been due for a boom game all season.
And it just so happens his Bears will face the Falcons in Week 6, which will offer more than a homecoming for this old Huskies duo (and some other players). It could be the game to finally help him get back on track and prove he still has hopes of being a star in this league.
Rome Odunze should dice up this Atlanta Falcons' secondary in Week 6
So while more focus is going to be on this Chicago run game, Rome Odunze is not a player the Dirty Birds can overlook. Between Odunze, Colston Loveland, Luther Burden III, and D'Andre Swift, he may be the player Jeff Ulbrich's defense is least scared of--but he can make them regret that fairly easily.
The Falcons are a plenty advantageous matchup for the 24-year-old. Atlanta is allowing the sixth-most passing yards per game in the NFL, with only the Bills, Colts, Jaguars, Lions, and Commanders giving up more, and they're more than likely going to be shorthanded on the back-end in Week 6.
A.J. Terrell, who likely would've shadowed the former All-American, isn't eligible to be activated off IR until Week 7, and C.J. Henderson's status is up in the air due to a groin injury. That means the Dirty Birds will be missing their two top outside corners on Sunday, which isn't ideal--but good for Rome.
Odds are he'll see most of his face time with Mike Hughes, who has been an absolute liability in coverage--so the Bears are going to want to pick on him just like every other team. And given Caleb Williams will return on Sunday, Ben Johnson should want to take advantage of their connection and a favorable matchup by dialing up some more downfield shots in Week 6.
Rome wasn't built in a day, so it was always going to take time from him to burst onto the scene, and unfortunately, all of the stars are aligned for Rome Odunze to have a big day against this Falcons' secondary.
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