The emergence of the Chicago Bears has been one of the most enjoyable stories of the 2025 NFL season. Head coach Ben Johnson has breathed life back into an offense whose primary pass-catcher has been clearly established as wideout Rome Odunze. Throughout the 2025 season, quarterback Caleb Williams has gotten more pieces increasingly involved, as rookies Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III have gotten in the mix as the season has progressed.
There's always an exception to the rule, though. Veteran wideout/offseason signing Olamide Zaccheaus started the year out appearing to be an important piece for a team that didn't fully trust Burden. However, as the year has gone on, trust in the speedy rookie has increased, and production from the veteran has moved in the wrong direction.
With Zaccheaus slowly being phased out and the Bears focusing on their younger playmakers, it's safe to say that the 28-year-old WR won't be interested in returning to the Windy City next season.
Olamide Zaccheaus Won't Want to Return to the Windy City Next Season
Zaccheaus has played 12 games and has 273 yards and one lone touchdown on 35 catches as of Week 14. What these numbers don't expose is the fact that the receiver is being phased out of the offense with only 25 yards of production over the last three weeks, all while only playing 19 snaps per game during that stretch. For comparison, he averaged 39.2 from Weeks 1 to 10.
Building on this is the fact that in the first eight weeks of the season, Zaccheaus had five targets or moved in six of those eight weeks. Over the last four weeks, he's only averaging two per game, finishing two of those outings with one or zero targets.
Meanwhile, Burden has played 33 or more snaps in his last four outings, including a season-high of 44 in Week 13. The higher-than-usual usage saw the former Missouri Tiger turn a personal-best six targets into four catches and 33 yards, all while also recording a three-yard rush as the Bears continue to use him creatively.
The good news for Zaccheaus is that he has an upcoming exit plan, as he's only playing on a one-year contract. The Bears don't have a use for him, and even if they're interested in running things back, it'd likely be on another cheap one-year contract, which might not interest the vet at this stage of his career. No one should blame Chicago for wanting to focus on the youngsters, but fans also can't fault Zaccheaus if he wants more playing time elsewhere.
Looking around the league, Zaccheaus' former franchise, the Atlanta Falcons, stands out as a potential landing spot. The team is unlikely to attract many top receivers this offseason, and Zaccheaus could find a meaningful role with a team that is well aware of his potential impact. There are also other bottom-feeders, like the Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans, who are always desperate for veteran WR help.
Regardless of where, it is clear that the Bears will move away from the aging receiver, and Zaccheaus likely won't complain about it. He just doesn't have much of a future in the Windy City, and only time will tell where his career will take him next.