It revisited Williams’ first career touchdown pass, coming from deep inside the red zone to Odunze on a fade just like last year against the Colts when he threw one to the end zone to Odunze for a 1-yard score.
The two expect many trips to the end zone this year and in years to come after Odunze was held to only three TD catches as a rookie.
“A year under our belt definitely helps us continue to build that,” Odunze said. “With the new offense, learning it together and having the knowledge of playing in the NFL season and having those games and then putting that into this offense and building the connection that way, (what) I think is great too and not just being like two rookies just kind of figuring it out. We kind of have a little bit to base it off of now.”
It’s more than being in his second year and a new offense. While they no longer have a veteran like Keenan Allen taking away touches, Odunze has competition for the ball on offense and from his own defense to help him improve.
The secondary already was formidable but 6-foot-4 cornerback Nashon Wright seems just the type of player Odunze needs to face daily. It keeps the 6-3 Odunze from being too dependent on his height advantage over most defensive backs.
Odunze wasn’t exactly familiar with Wright.
“No I wasn’t, but I’m familiar with him now,” Odunze joked. “Man, he’s a baller. You know, not many 6-4, 6-5 corners out there with his capabilities and his suddenness and agilities. So it’s been a challenge going against him every single day.
“I’m glad we have a guy like that on the roster so I can compete against and then make the games a little bit easier.”
The ball is still going to be relative tough for Odunze to get coming his way considering the number of targets available to Williams. Besides DJ Moore, Odunze will be competing for the football with rookie offensive teammates Luther Burden and rookie tight end Colston Loveland. Burden remains out injured, but there’s no doubt Loveland immediately figures prominently into Johnson’s offensive plans.
Odunze is very familiar with Loveland from when Michigan beat Washington and Odunze for the national title in 2023.
“He’s a baller man, I hate him though,” Odunze joked. “Michigan guy. I can’t stand him. No, he’s got the ring on me, he got his signing bonus, the other day. Man that guy’s got everything.
“No, he’s awesome man. He’s been great, you know. Great in the locker room, he’s been great in the meeting room, I’m sure. Guy’s on the field doing everything possible he can. He wanted to get back on the field and now that’s getting the good reps in, it’s been awesome to see. Great hands, very agile, can block. He’s got everything you desire in a tight end. ”
He even sings well. When it came time for Loveland to do his singing, as is customary, he didn’t embarrass himself with a rendition of Mario’s “Let me love you,”
“He did sing and he killed it,” Odunze said.
Then there is the Ben Johnson offense challenging receivers to know all the positions.
“Yeah, I mean in our room it’s an expectation that we need to know everything going on on the field,” Odunze said. “So when it comes to concepts, we learn all different positions, we need to be very alert of those things and have the knowledge because you never know what position you need to play.
“You need to be very versatile in that sense. So we’re very trained, all the different aspects of it, you know X, F, Z, Y, whatever it takes, whatever position you need to be at to have success, we’ll go ahead and do it well. You know, obviously it’s a little bit easier when you have one thing to worry about. You can grasp it a little bit faster. But you know, like I said, the expectation is to know everything.”
It’s led to big expectations for himself.
“I mean I’m just available for whatever comes with it, honestly,” Odunze said. “I want to get the ball as early and as often as I can. As a wide receiver and a playmaker, I feel like I have the ability to make this offense move and have explosive plays.
“So you know, I want the ball on every play. But I play my role within the offense. Caleb’s a great quarterback who’s going to be versatile with his weapons, as well as Ben and the offensive staff to get the ball around. So, of course, I want to be that No. 1 guy for him and go kill it, be that duo, but we have a bunch of playmakers on the field that’s going to do a good job this year.”
A year after coming into the league, Odunze is much more confident.
“Honestly, I think there’s a style in which the NFL kind of operates when it comes to offense and the execution of it, and obviously last year it wasn’t up to a standard but I think with this coaching staff and with the players we’ve got this year kind of having that experience from last year, like, it really allows me to understand what we were trying to go out there and execute,” Odunze said.
Johnson’s offense is a definite help, too, but knowing what to expect after a year in the league is invaluable.
“You know not that everything is more complicated or Ben’s offense is, like I said, super complicated in that aspect but just having that knowledge and understanding of how it kind of goes as an offense in the NFL really it helps all receivers, all playmakers out there executing the right way,” Odunze said.
Now comes the matter of making the connections. Saturday may have proven they’re starting down the proper path toward fufilling the promise they had on draft day in 2024, when both went in the first nine picks.
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