The exit of Keenan Allen was unfortunate for the Chicago Bears but not unexpected. His age and hefty price tag made re-signing him unlikely. That meant GM Ryan Poles and new head coach Ben Johnson would have to find a new slot receiver who could pair with D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze. Plenty of names were whispered about, such as Tim Patrick, Josh Reynolds, and even Cooper Kupp. Ultimately, they went after somebody fresh off the best season of his career.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network revealed the Bears had reached an agreement with former Washington Commanders receiver Olamide Zaccheaus on a new deal. A former undrafted free agent, he climbed his way up the NFL ranks with the Atlanta Falcons before signing with Washington last year. He produced a career-best 45 catches for 506 yards and three touchdowns. On top of that, he added 179 yards on 17 punt returns. His versatility should be something Johnson takes immediate advantage of.
The Chicago Bears’ interest in Zaccheaus isn’t hard to determine.
Coming out of college, he was described as an explosive slot option. That certainly proved true once he started getting opportunities. Johnson likes to utilize the slot extensively in his offense. He also loves receivers who make things happen after the catch. Last season, over half of Zaccheaus’ output (284 yards) came after the catch. The 27-year-old also seems to step up in big games. Last year, he sparked a huge comeback against the eventual champion Philadelphia Eagles with two 4th quarter touchdowns. His only other two-TD game was with Atlanta against their rival New Orleans Saints, leading to a 27-25 win that robbed the Saints of a playoff berth.
He won’t be the primary target in this offense. Still, the Chicago Bears have added a good player that will improve their explosiveness, versatility, and depth.
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