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ROME ODUNZE INJURY THREATENS BEARS’ CRUCIAL NFC NORTH SHOWDOWN VS. PACKERS

Star WR Rome Odunze's foot injury keeps him out of practice. His status for the critical NFC North title game against Green Bay is now questionable.

Rome Odunze Injury Threatens Bears’ Crucial NFC North Showdown vs. Packers
Rome Odunze's Status Could Wreck Bears' Playoff Hopes

Rome Odunze missed his second straight practice for the Chicago Bears.

After the Bears skipped Wednesday's practice, Thursday's session made it clear: their top receiver hasn't participated as Week 14 winds down.

Odunze was on the field for 80.5% of the snaps in the win over Philadelphia, but he only had two catches for eight yards, his worst performance in weeks. Now, with a lingering foot injury, it's reasonable to wonder if that impacted his play.

Over 12 games, Odunze has 44 catches for 661 yards and six touchdowns, becoming Caleb Williams' go-to guy.

If he can't play on Sunday, Chicago's passing game will look very different. DJ Moore would definitely be the main target, Luther Burden III would get more time on the outside, and Olamide Zaccheaus would play slot receiver.

Injury Report: A Mix of Good and Bad News

The Bears' updated injury report from Thursday had some good news but also some worries.

Rookie running back Kyle Monangai, who showed up on Wednesday with an ankle injury, was thankfully back to limited participation. That's important because the offence depends on his strength, and it looks like D’Andre Swift will be carrying more of the load in Green Bay.

Looking at the rest of the injury report, several starters are still out:

WR Rome Odunze – Foot (DNP)

LB Ruben Hyppolite II – Shoulder (DNP)

CB Tyrique Stevenson – Hip (DNP)

OG Joe Thuney – Rest (DNP)

On the bright side, some defensive players are back for Chicago.

DT Andrew Billings, CB Jaylon Johnson, DE Dominique Robinson, and LB Noah Sewell all fully practised on Thursday. Also, star LB T.J. Edwards was limited but is improving as he deals with hand and hamstring issues. The Bears' linebacker situation might finally be getting better.

But the Odunze situation is the biggest concern. With two missed days, he has only one chance left to prove he's healthy enough to play. That's not much time before such a big game.

A Crucial Game Just Got More Intense

The Chicago Bears are 9-3, #1 in the NFC, and headed for the playoffs. But now they have to go to Lambeau Field for a game that will show what Chicago is really made of as they battle for the NFC North title.

Ben Johnson’s team has gotten into NFC contention by being strong in all areas: a good run-pass mix, a better defence, and Caleb Williams handling important moments well. But if Odunze is out, even for a short time, one of those strengths is weakened.

If Rome can't play, rookie Luther Burden III will have to step up quickly, and Olamide Zaccheaus will need to be a reliable player in the slot.

Chicago is still hoping that Rome Odunze will be ready by Sunday. Right now, that's all they can do.

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES TRADE JAREN JACKSON JR. TO UTAH JAZZ IN 8-PLAYER BLOCKBUSTER

The Memphis Grizzlies have traded Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz, creating a record $28.8 million trade exception for 2026.

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Grizzlies finalise Jaren Jackson Jr. deal

The Memphis Grizzlies turned heads on Tuesday, pulling off a blockbuster trade that sent two-time All-Star and former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr to the Utah Jazz. Along with Jackson, the Grizzlies shipped out Vince Williams Jr, John Konchar, and Jock Landale. Coming back their way: Walter Clayton Jr, Kyle Anderson, Georges Niang, and, maybe the most important part, three future first-round picks.

And honestly, it feels like Memphis isn’t done stirring the pot. Inside the organisation, they see Zach Edey and Cedric Coward as the future. Both went late in the lottery in the past two drafts, and the Grizzlies landed some value in the second round this year, too, grabbing Jaylen Wells and Cam Spencer.

All this movement means Ja Morant’s future in Memphis suddenly looks shaky. He’s been the face of the franchise since they took him No. 2 overall back in 2019. When he’s healthy, he’s electric—no question. But injuries and off-court drama have slowed him down, and now, with the trade deadline closing in, the Grizzlies are openly shopping him. Teams around the league are watching.

There’s another wrinkle here: by dealing Jackson, Memphis created a massive trade exception—$28.8 million, the biggest in NBA history, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks and Shams Charania. It’s a huge chess piece. With that exception, the Grizzlies can absorb big, ugly contracts from other teams in exchange for more draft picks. Think of what the Thunder did a few years back—stockpiling picks by taking on bad deals until they rebuilt into a contender.

Now, you’ve probably heard Giannis Antetokounmpo’s name floating around in trade rumours. He hasn’t officially asked out of Milwaukee, but everyone in the league expects something to happen soon. Teams like the Timberwolves and Knicks are circling. The Grizzlies? They’re not likely to chase Giannis directly. But with that trade exception, they could play a big role as a third team—taking on salary dumps or unwanted contracts, collecting more picks, and helping another franchise pull off the Giannis blockbuster. Memphis just put itself squarely in the middle of the NBA’s hottest rumour.

KLINT KUBIAK SNUBS NFL RIVALS TO LEAD RAIDERS’ NEW ERA UNDER TOM BRADY

The Las Vegas Raiders are zeroing in on Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak as their next head coach, with Tom Brady leading the search.

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Klint Kubiak is set for the Raiders as Seahawks coach faces the New England Patriots

The Las Vegas Raiders are in the middle of a huge shakeup right now. Klint Kubiak, the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks, is set to become their new head coach—and honestly, he’s nothing like Pete Carroll.

Kubiak’s still in his 30s, calling plays on offence, while Carroll just wrapped up last season as the NFL’s oldest head coach. The Raiders had their eyes on Ben Johnson previous year, but when he decided to take the Bears job, they turned to Carroll instead.

This time, Las Vegas seemed to have that same level of interest in Kubiak, but they had to wait things out because Seattle was still in the playoffs. Tom Brady, who’s a minority owner with the Raiders, clearly played a big part in picking the new coach.

Since nothing’s official until after the Super Bowl, Brady can’t come right out and talk about Kubiak joining the team. Still, he didn’t hold back when it came to sharing what he liked about the guy.

“Klint’s played to his team’s strengths. Last week, he did a ton of good things against a really strong Rams defence,” Brady said on the “Let’s Go!” podcast. “That’s what it took for them to win. The Rams are a tough team. That game in Seattle could’ve gone either way... Seattle really had to play a complete game in all three phases to pull it out, and they’ll need to do the same this weekend in Santa Clara.”

Brady also talked about Fernando Mendoza.

Another big reason the Raiders’ coaching job is so appealing? They’ve got the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Everyone expects them to grab Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

Brady doesn’t have to be secretive about it—nobody’s jumping ahead of them in the draft. He was pretty open about how much he likes Mendoza.

“What do I value most? When I see him, he’s always talking up his teammates. He wins the Heisman, and he’s giving credit to everyone else,” Brady said. “That’s the kind of attitude you want in a leader.”

Kubiak focused on the Super Bowl, not the job switch.

Kubiak’s career is about to take off, but right now, he’s locked in on trying to win his first Super Bowl. So, he isn’t ready to talk about the Raiders just yet.

“I’m coaching the Seahawks in the Super Bowl, and that’s all I’m thinking about,” Kubiak told reporters on Monday. “I’m just excited for this week and this game.”

Not everyone in Seattle is thrilled to see Kubiak go. Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold had nothing but praise after working with him this year.

“He was unbelievable,” Darnold said Monday. “The stuff I picked up from Klint—just with schemes, and then learning from him as a coach and a person—the grit. He’s up before the sun, gets to the facility at 4 or 4:30, and leaves later than anyone. The guy just grinds. He loves football, and he’s always straight with his players. I know I really appreciated that, and so did the rest of the guys.”

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