Two Bears First-Round Picks Heading in Opposite Directions and It’s Getting Ugly
· Yahoo Sports
The Chicago Bears left Monday night with one of their biggest wins in years, a 27-7 dismantling of the Eagles powered by Case Keenum’s unlikely breakout and a defense that made Jalen Hurts miserable.
But beneath the celebration was a stark contrast the Bears cannot ignore. One first-round pick is rapidly becoming one of the most important players on the roster. Another is still searching for the consistency expected from a player drafted to become a franchise cornerstone.
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Sep 20, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (15) runs onto the field before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn ImagesRookie safety Dillon Thieneman is thriving. Third-year receiver Rome Odunze is trending in the wrong direction.
The difference was impossible to miss against Philadelphia.
Dillon Thieneman. First career INT 🚨@PHIvsCHI on ESPN
— NFL (@NFL) September 29, 2026
Stream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/GQhn7Oz1ZK
Thieneman delivered the biggest defensive play of the game in the second quarter. The Eagles had driven to Chicago’s 2-yard line and were threatening to erase the Bears’ early lead. Jalen Hurts had briefly exited for a concussion evaluation, putting Andy Dalton in at quarterback, but the situation was still dangerous. Then Thieneman ended it.
The rookie safety stayed patient in the back of the end zone, read Dalton’s eyes and grabbed the first interception of his NFL career. Instead of a potential tie game, the Bears preserved their lead, added a field goal on the ensuing possession and controlled the rest of the night.
It was not an isolated flash from a young player. Thieneman now has a team-high 23 tackles through three games, and he has consistently shown the range, instincts and physicality that made him a first-round pick. He has been active near the line of scrimmage, dependable as an open-field tackler and effective enough in coverage to give Dennis Allen flexibility with his disguises and personnel packages.
That matters because Chicago entered the season with major questions in the secondary. Injuries and uneven cornerback play have forced Allen to move pieces around, but Thieneman has been one of the constants. He plays with the awareness of a much more experienced defender, and the Eagles game showed he can make a momentum-changing play when the Bears need it most.
Chicago does not need to manufacture optimism around Thieneman. The rookie is earning it. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Odunze.
The former ninth overall pick was supposed to be the focal point of the Bears’ passing attack by this stage of his career. Instead, he has produced just 139 receiving yards without a touchdown through three games. Worse, his most memorable moment against Philadelphia was an open touchdown that hit his hands and fell to the Soldier Field turf.
Keenum gave Odunze a gift in the first quarter. Chicago had a chance to build a two-score lead after the defense forced a turnover, and Odunze found himself with room in the end zone. He could not secure the catch, and quite frankly, it wasn’t close.
WHAT A CATCH BY ODUNZE 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/mAeWMlVucc
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) September 29, 2026
The Bears later failed to score on that goal-line possession. Chicago ultimately won comfortably, so the drop became a footnote. In a tighter game, it could have been the defining mistake.
Odunze also committed a false start on third-and-one, another frustrating lapse from a player who cannot afford to keep putting negative plays on tape. The issue is not that he has failed to make every difficult catch or create a highlight in every game. No receiver does that. The problem is that the Bears need more from him than occasional flashes.
Kalif Raymond currently leads Chicago’s pass catchers in receiving production. Luther Burden III supplied a crucial opening-drive touchdown against the Eagles and finished with 70 yards from scrimmage. Colston Loveland, after a nearly invisible start to the season, finally began to reemerge Monday.
Meanwhile, Odunze is still waiting for his signature moment.
Jun 11, 2026; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (15) run on the field during Minicamp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn ImagesWe haven’t reached bust territory just yet, but his play since the promising rookie campaign has been concerning. He has real talent, can win on intermediate routes and remains capable of taking over a game. But draft position carries expectations, especially when a player is supposed to be entering his prime years. He’s still too inconsistent.
Thieneman is a rookie and already looks like a building block. Odunze has more experience and should be taking the next step, yet he is being outperformed by players who were not drafted to carry nearly the same weight. That is the uncomfortable reality.
The Bears are 2-1, and their win over the Eagles proved they have enough depth to survive even without Caleb Williams. But if Chicago wants to become more than a tough, opportunistic team, it needs its premium offensive talent to start delivering premium results.
Thieneman has made the first-round investment look brilliant. Odunze has work to do before anyone can say the same.
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