If you’re something different with the Chicago Bears this season, you’re in luck. Coming off a 5-12 season, the Bears brought in a lot of new talent with head coach Ben Johnson, dishing out a total of $92.5 million in free agency and another $35 million for Joe Thuney’s contract extension after a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs.
It led to a lot of headlines in the Windy City heading into 2025. But there’s one signing that has gone under the radar and is already paying off as the Bears prepare for training camp.
New Bears WR Olamide Zaccheaus Could Be Chicago’s Best Under-the-Radar Signing
The Bears made a marginal move when they signed Olamide Zaccheaus to a one-year, $1.5 million contract this offseason. For a team that already had D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze and added Luther Burden III in the second round of April’s draft, signing Zaccheaus doesn’t look like something that would move the needle in Chicago. But Zaccheaus has already become a favorite of the coaching staff according to ESPN’s Bill Barnwell.
“Don’t be surprised if Zaccheaus is on the field more often than you would expect – coaches love him,” Barnwell wrote. “Zaccheaus is undersized at 5-foot-8, 193 pounds, but he has still carved out a role in the NFL by being an aggressive, willing blocker.”
Barnwell’s scouting report matches up with what Zaccheaus did in his final season with the Washington Commanders. The 27-year-old caught 45 passes for 506 yards and three touchdowns but he also earned a 56.8 grade for run blocking according to Pro Football Focus. If that seems low, only Moore had a higher run-blocking grade among Bears receivers last season and having Zaccheaus could free up the Bears’ top target to make more big plays downfield.
Zaccheaus has also provided insurance for the Bears in case of injury. This became apparent when Burden suffered a soft tissue injury during rookie camp. While Johnson lamented his rookie’s absence, Zaccheaus was the player that benefited, getting increased reps and a leg up for playing time entering training camp.
Events like this can turn a marginal signing into a key one over the course of the season. If Zaccheaus can reward the coaching staff’s trust in him, he could go a long way toward exceeding his $1.5 million value.