Chicago Bears fans who suspected that the exit of Olamide Zaccheaus was due to the receiver's drop issues were given a bit of confirmation this week. ESPN's Rich Cimini tweeted out a league-wide update that included an interesting tidbit on the changes at receiver for the Bears. Head coach Ben Johnson made his frustrations with drops clear and further explained why the franchise opted to turn the page on Zaccheaus.
""Johnson said the passing game 'still leaves something to be desired,' pointing to receivers' route detail, ball location, and 'simply catching the football.' The Bears had the fourth-most drops last season with 29. The emphasis this spring will be making those a less frequent issue.""ESPN's NFL Nation
While Johnson doesn't call out Zaccheaus by name, it is clear that this was part of the decision to move on. The pass catcher led all Chicago receivers with five drops in the 2025 season. Considering that Zaccheaus had only 65 targets, this makes it clear that parting ways with the receiver appears to have been the correct decision. Zaccheaus landed with the Atlanta Falcons in free agency, giving the Bears a chance for a fresh start when it comes to depth.
Adding to this improvement is losing D.J. Moore, who had three drops of his own during the 2025 season and wasn't the force he once was. For the Bears, it is clear that there is a major focus on improving the exact issue that haunted Zaccheaus and even led to the pass catcher playing fewer snaps in the middle of the 2025 season.
Ben Johnson's Comments Make it Clear Why Zaccheaus Exited Franchise
Johnson's frustrations with the number of drops, emphasizing the need for this improvement, speak to a head coach who isn't afraid to look in the mirror and see where his team is failing. Zaccheaus was the face of this particular failure and an easy piece to part ways with, considering that the veteran was already slated to hit free agency at the end of the regular season.
This leaves Luther Burden III as the only remaining concern when it comes to drops, as the young receiver let the ball hit the ground four times last season, falling only one behind Zaccheaus. However, there are plenty of reasons to believe that the second-year wideout can improve in this area as his chemistry with Caleb Williams and within Chicago's offense grows.
The same cannot be said for Zaccheaus, however, after he went from one of the league's top contenders to the hapless Falcons. It is an unquestionable downgrade as Atlanta is putting a lot of faith in Tua Tagovailoa and remains outside of the expected playoff contenders. This only further points to the fact that the Bears made the right decision turning the page on the receiver.