Bears ink rookie receiver Rome Odunze to fully guaranteed deal | Reports

1st & North: Who could be the NFC MVP, and assessing the Bears' offensive line

Training camps are just a few weeks away from kicking off. This edition of 1st & North talks which Chicago Bears player could be the NFC MVP this season.

One first round pick down, one to go.

The Chicago Bears have signed No. 9 overall pick Rome Odunze to a four-year deal Tuesday, the team announced Tuesday afternoon.

According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, that deal is fully guaranteed.

Bears rookies are reporting for their first day of training camp on Tuesday. The veterans report on Friday.

Pelissero reported that Odunze's deal is for four years and $22.7 million fully guaranteed. The Bears said Odunze's deal includes a fifth-year option because he was a first-round draft selection.

Odunze was the second of the Bears' two first-round picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. He comes to Chicago from the University of Washington.

This leaves quarterback and No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams remaining as the last unsigned rookie in the Bears' 2024 NFL Draft class.

Odunze was one of the most decorated and productive receivers in college football in the fall of 2023. He earned AP First-Team All-American honors, and was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award honoring the nation's top wide receiver.

Odunze recorded 92 receptions, 1,640 yards and 13 touchdowns in his final year at Washington. In his college career, Odunze hauled in 3,272 receiving yards on 214 receptions and scored 24 receiving touchdowns

Now, Odunze will pair with Keenan Allen and DJ Moore to compile arguably the best Bears receiver room the franchise has ever had.

So far, Odunze has been one of the most impressive rookies to see the field in offseason workouts and mandatory minicamp. Bears head coach Matt Eberflus lauded Odunze after working with him this offseason.

"Some guys just have an act to do it right, like can see the pictures, the drawings, you know, in the classroom, and they can apply that right to the field," Eberflus said. "He's able to process a bunch of information at the same time and then take it to the field."

Odunze also displayed a personality in the offseason that will endear him to Bears fans, showing an eagerness to shatter Bears' receiving records and making appearances at Cubs, Sox and Sky games.

"I'm hoping I leave the Bears organization better than I found it," Odunze said.