Bears sign Olamide Zaccheaus to one-year deal
UPDATE: The Bears announced that they signed receiver Olamide Zaccheaus to a one-year contract.
LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The Bears added to their receiver corps, something required with just DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and Tyler Scott under contract.
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They added veteran wideout Olamide Zaccheaus to the group, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported on Thursday evening.
Exact terms of the contract were not immediately known. The Bears have not formally announced a signing.
A pact was struck shortly after Ben Johnson and Ryan Poles held a second press conference in as many days to introduce some of their new free agents.
Zaccheaus spent last season with the Washington Commanders, and become a trusted resource in the passing game and as a returner. He had 45 catches for 506 yards and three touchdowns as a trusted resource for Jayden Daniels.
He was in Philadelphia before that and started his NFL career with the Atlanta Falcons. He’s not the biggest guy at 5-foot-8 and 193 pounds, but he’s quick, with agility and long speed that can stretch the field and keep defenses honest.
He played 349 offensive snaps from the slot and just 280 out wide. Playing inside was considered a need for the Bears, who would like to use Odunze and Moore outside. Zaccheaus will be a good No. 3 compliment for Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams.
He has a penchant for coming through in the clutch, with several big catches on his resume. Also, as a fun fact, he was high-school teammates with Bears running back D’Andre Swift. He set lots of records while at the University of Virginia, and was signed as a undrafted free agent by the Falcons. He forged a solid career despite odds seemingly stacked against him, and is now an established NFL veteran. This signing should be considered a smart add that probably didn’t cost a ton.
The Bears may not be done adding to the position group despite those facts. They’ll need at least one more on the roster, and that could well come through a middle-round selection in the NFL Draft.