Bears Youth Movement: Odunze, Monangai, Trapilo, Sewell showing promise

Ariana Pensy · Correspondent · 2 hours ago

CHICAGO - Chicago Bears fans do not have a lot to be happy about through the first two weeks. However, wide receiver Rome Odunze has emerged as potentially one of the best receivers in the league this season. He is averaging 82.5 yards per game, putting him on track for 1,402 yards at the end of the season which would be fourth-best in single-season franchise history.

Odunze also leads the league in receiving touchdowns.

“His approach is really good. He’s willing to do whatever it takes right now and I think there’s a number of guys like that where we’re just looking for a win and it doesn’t matter the production, what the stat sheet says. He wants to go out and if it’s in the run game, if it’s in (pass) pro. He did that a little bit last week. But, physical nature. He wants to help set the tone for what we want to be about on offense and he wants to do it the right way,” head coach Ben Johnson said. “I know he’s only a second-year player, but he’s very much a complete receiver. He’s willing in the run game. (But) as a route runner, he’s got the ability to win one-on-ones for a big, long guy. He’s got the ability to change direction and separate, probably more so than a lot of the guys I’ve been around and so, when you have a guy like that that can separate yet has a huge catch radius and can go up and get the football, I think it’s a unique skill set. So, we’re still working through his route tree.

There’s a number of things that we’ve introduced to this offense that he’s really taken to and we’re continuing to push the limit each week and have him do some things that we haven’t asked him to do yet also. So, we’re just going to continue to learn and grow together.”

Another improvement on offense was rookie running back Kyle Monangai getting more involved in Chicago’s game against Detroit. He had seven carries for 28 yards with an average of four yards per carry, equal to that of starting running back D’Andre Swift through the first two games.

With Swift limited throughout the week and officially questionable for the Bears’ game against the Dallas Cowboys on Sun. Sept. 21 (3:25 p.m. / FOX), Monangai may have to step into the starting role.

“He’s another guy that the more reps he gets, the more trust we gain in him, and he just has a tendency to do the right thing,” Johnson said. “I think he’s got a good understanding of what we’re trying to accomplish. We always talk about the intent of the play, whether that’s run game or pass game, and he seems to be ahead of the curve in terms of young guys grasping that.”

Last season, the offensive line struggled mightily. That is why Johnson ensured that Chicago acquired three new starting offensive linemen and held a competition for the starting job at left tackle. Rookie Ozzy Trapilo made a good effort to try to win that job. Still, ultimately, veteran Braxton became the left tackle, and Trapilo is currently listed as the backup right tackle on the depth chart.

However, Johnson said Trapilo will play at the offensive line for the Bears at some point this season.

“We started him on the left side. We made the decision that that wasn’t the best spot for him and so, we moved him back over on the right side. He’s getting better everyday. Just made a comment to the o-line coaches (Friday morning) about how much improved he looks in individual and some of the run stuff that we’re doing on Wednesdays in pads and he’s really showing up,” Johnson said. “So, he’s really coming along, and there’ll be a point this season where he’s playing for us. Is that this week or is that a few weeks down the road? I don’t know. But, he’s preparing as if he’s ready to go. So, we’ll see there.”

Defensively, linebacker Noah Sewell has had to step up with T.J. Edwards unable to play so far this season. Edwards will also be out against Dallas after not practicing all week.

It may be only two weeks into the season, but it looks like Sewell has grown tremendously since his rookie year in 2023 and from how he performed last year.

“To me, it’s the epitome of a linebacker. He’s a little bit of a throwback in this era too where really physical, not afraid to see ball, get ball, strikes with aggression, gets off blocks. He’ll shoot a gap if he sees it open. I think he’s been a guy that really from the springtime to camp that, one, I’ve been pleased with how he’s progressed,” Johnson said. “I think (linebackers coach) Richard Smith’s done a great job working and developing his skills and Noah’s really taken the right approach. That’s one and two, I think the confidence is just (growing) steadily as well. I think (he is) a guy that takes a lot of pride in what he does and I think he goes out there, he plays hard and he plays the game the right way.”