Bears Question of the Day: Which player had the most disappointing season in ‘25?
Those that know WCG's Bchuk44, know that he usually leans heavily towards the optimistic side of things. But with great hope comes greater expectations. Which, for Bears fans typically leads to inevitable disappointment.
Like many of you, Bchuk had very high hopes for dozens of players on this team heading into this year. Most of them met or exceeded my expectations. But a few did not.
For whatever the reason - age, injury, or simply missed opportunities - these four players standout above the rest when it comes to disappointing campaigns.
Rome Odunze, WR
The former 9th overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft entered the season as the potential top dog in the new-look Chicago Bears offense. At least according to reports out of training came and the evident rapport with QB1 in practice. Additionally, sophomore campaigns for WRs tend to be when the light bulb finally turns on and the talent can full thrive. Odunze began the 2025 season on a tear and led the league early on with 5 TDs in the first four games. Then an injury to his foot sidelined him and rendered him hobbled the remainder of the season and never resembling the same player who began the season. Drops became a consistent issue for the former first rounder and he most certainly failed to look like a top talent. The good thing for these Bears is that there are more than enough weapons to shoulder the burden in Ben Johnson's scheme. But Rome Odunze needs to first get fully healthy and then lock in and assert himself once again as the dominant playmaker he was as a Washington Husky before coming to Chicago.
Grady Jarrett, DT
To his credit, Jarrett appeared to turn his season around at the midway point, but even then failed to live up to the massive 3 year $43 million contract he signed last off-season. The 2025 Bears struggled to get after the QB and the interior of the defensive line was a large part of that with Grady accumulating a measly 1.5 sacks and 8 QB hits in 14 games. Jarrett also contributed to a bottom 5 run defense and notched his fewest tackles for a loss totals of his entire career. Do the Bears have issues at EDGE? Absolutely. But we needed more from our highest paid DT. Or we need to move on from him ASAP.
Olamide Zacheaus, WR
Though Bears GM Ryan Poles invested heavily on the offensive line last off-season, he appeared to get the greatest return on the 1 year $1.5 contract he gave the veteran WR. The only player who may have gotten more hype and headlines in training camp than the aforementioned WR1 Rome Odunze was fellow WR and former Virginia Cavalier, Olamide Zaccheaus. Zaccheaus failed to carry that preseason momentum when it mattered most and routinely dropped passes for second year QB phenom Caleb Williams and thusly saw less and less opportunities down the stretch. Thankfully the investments that Poles recently made on the offensive side of the ball helped the O go from good to better regardless, but Zaccheaus missed a prime opportunity to feast and propel his career in a record breaking offense and it is doubtful that he even returns to the Bears at this point.
Dayo Odeyingo, DE
The 26 year old 5th year pro was another new addition via free agency that signed for a hefty price tag at 3 years $48 million. Like his new teammate Grady Jarrett, Odeyigbo failed to play up to his deal. Though his season was cut short due to injury, the former 2nd rounder only accumulated 1 sack in 8 games to go along with 4 QB hits and 2 tackles for loss. Would Dayo turned a corner into the imposing presence opposite Montez Sweat? Perhaps. But his pre-injury play in 2025 left much to be desired before a torn Achilles ended his season in November, though some would say his play never warranted such a large deal.
My Take: While Dayo's price tag was higher, Jarrett was the biggest disappointment in my eyes. Living in the Carolinas, I became quite familiar with the former Atlanta Falcon and Clemson Tiger's feistiness up front. Though I appreciated what I saw the second half of the season and was sure to recognize it in my day after notes, Jarrett left too much meat on the bone this past year and I am one of the many Bears fans who believe DT is one of the 3 greatest needs this off-season. Dayo, meanwhile, had only notched more than 5 sacks one time in his entire career prior to arriving in Chicago and I never had the same expectations as I did for Jarrett. With Grady likely to return due to his guaranteed salary, he will need a more consistent 2026 season if the Bears hope to make it further in the playoffs.
Your turn! From your vantage point, whose 2025 season was the greatest disappointment?Which player had the most disappointing season for #DaBears in 2025?
- Bears Over Bry (@BryanOrenchuk) January 29, 2026