The Chicago Bears have been one of the NFL's more active teams throughout the first three weeks of free agency. Spotrac lists that the Bears have handed out new contracts to 12 veteran names as of March 25, which includes bringing in fresh faces like wideout Olamide Zaccheaus.
Even though Bears fans knew the veteran speedster's contract was for one year, the exact details of Zaccheaus' deal were unknown. At least, that was the case until Tuesday. Interestingly enough, said details prove that general manager Ryan Poles has (thankfully) learned from one of his previous offseason mistakes.
Bears News: WR Olamide Zaccheaus' Contract is for $1.5 Million, $750K Guaranteed
Zaccheaus' contract details are officially available on Spotrac, and it's clear that the Bears got a steal of a deal.
The 27-year-old WR will carry an affordable $1.5 million cap hit in 2025 with only $750,000 being guaranteed ($600,000 salary, $150,000 signing bonus). He'll also earn a $5,000 bonus for every game he plays, as well as an extra $62,500 if he plays 45% and 65% of offensive snaps, which will double if the Bears make the playoffs.
In other words, that's a steal of a price to pay for a solid receiver who just recorded 506 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 45 catches in 17 games with the Washington Commanders last season. Even if Zaccheaus falls short of matching that performance, it isn't as if he'd be taking up a huge chunk of cap space doing so.
New #Bears WR Olamide Zaccheaus 👀 pic.twitter.com/uy5R7lSg8m
— Chicago Bears Updates (@chbearsupdates) March 13, 2025
Zaccheaus' contract is a breath of fresh air for Bears fans, who were previously scarred by one of Poles' biggest blunders: the 2022 Byron Pringle signing.
The Bears signed Pringle to a one-year, $6 million contract three years ago after a 2021 campaign with the Kansas City Chiefs that saw him tally 568 yards and five TDs in 17 games. The contract immediately drew criticism at the time, especially since Pringle hadn't even broken the 200-yard mark in his two previous seasons.
It turns out that Poles' critics were right to blast the deal. Marred by injuries throughout his brief Windy City run, Pringle only mustered a 10-135-2 stat line through 11 appearances with the Bears. In other words, it wasn't the best start to Poles' first year as the GM.
Pringle's abysmal performance resulted in zero interest from the Bears regarding a re-signing, leaving him to become a free agent at the end of the year. He's since had an uninspiring 2023 run with the Commanders before spending the entire 2024 season on the unemployment line.
Overpaying for free agents is extremely easy, so it's encouraging to see that Poles showed restraint regarding Zaccheaus' contract. Hopefully, the veteran WR finds immediate chemistry with quarterback Caleb Williams, who could use a reliable downfield threat. After all, Zaccheaus' 11.2 yards per catch last season would've ranked second among all Chicago players.
In the meantime, all eyes will be on Poles to see if he has any more bargain deals up his sleeve. The Bears need all the help they can get as they continue the NFL offseason with the 14th-best Super Bowl 60 odds (+3700) on FanDuel Sportsbook.
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