New Bears receiver Olamide Zaccheaus looks forward to catching passes
from Caleb Williams
[March 18, 2025]
By ANDREW SELIGMAN
CHICAGO (AP) — New Chicago Bears wide receiver Olamide
Zaccheaus sees star potential in quarterback Caleb Williams and hopes to
develop the sort of connection he had with Jayden Daniels in Washington
last season. |
Washington Commanders wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus (14) carries the
ball against the New York Giants during the second half of an NFL
football game, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP
Photo/Seth Wenig, File) |
|
“The biggest thing, I think, is the mental
aspect of it for any young quarterback, especially Caleb,”
Zaccheaus said Monday after finalizing a one-year contract. "He
has all the talent that you need to be a top-tier quarterback in
the league, so a lot of it is just going to be the mental aspect
of it. You know, kind of just slowing the game down.”
The 27-year-old Zaccheaus goes from catching passes from the AP
Offensive Rookie of the Year to working with the quarterback
drafted with the No. 1 overall pick last spring. He figures to
be mainly the slot receiver in Chicago playing with DJ Moore and
Rome Odunze.
Zaccheaus is coming off a bounce-back season with Washington,
catching a career-high 45 passes for 506 yards and three
touchdowns, after finishing with just 10 receptions the previous
year with Philadelphia. He spent four seasons in Atlanta after
going undrafted out of Virginia in 2019. Zaccheaus had one of
his best seasons in 2022, with 40 catches for a personal-best
533 yards and three TDs.
Chicago finished last in the NFC North at 5-12 and lost 10 in a
row at one point before closing last season with a win at Green
Bay. The Bears fired former coach Matt Eberflus on Nov. 29 and
replaced him on an interim basis with Thomas Brown before hiring
Ben Johnson in January. Johnson was considered the top candidate
on the market after spending the past three seasons as Detroit’s
offensive coordinator.
In the past few weeks, the Bears have beefed up the protection
for Williams by trading for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson
and signing center Drew Dalman. They also bolstered their
defensive line by adding defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and edge
rusher Dayo Odeyingbo.
Chicago re-signed veteran long snapper Scott Daly to a one-year
contract on Monday.
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