The Chicago Bears had a productive joint practice with the Miami Dolphins on Friday. Both teams came away with some answers about their current states. The big story was how dominant the Bears defense was, smothering Miami most of the afternoon and picking off Tua Tagovailoa three times. Offensively, it was a mixed bag. There were strong moments from Caleb Williams, Colston Loveland, and D'Andre Swift. However, the true star of the show was none other than wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus.
Chicago signed him as a free agent in March after his solid 2024 season in Washington. His mixture of speed and quickness made him a natural fit in the slot for Ben Johnson's offense. People didn't think much about it, especially after teh Bears drafted Luther Burden in the 2nd round. That might've been a mistake. Most accounts stated Zaccheaus was everywhere on the field. He made several big plays, including a long touchdown and a one-handed grab along the sideline.
If there is a competition for the #3 spot alongside D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze, Zaccheaus took a decisive lead after that practice.
Olamide Zaccheaus has always been a good player.
The problem is that he comes from a humble background. He was a productive receiver in college, but for Virginia, which isn't the hotbed of talent it's been in years past. It doesn't help that he was also an undrafted free agent. Lastly, he played on teams that were loaded at wide receiver. He started in Atlanta with Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley. Then he went to Philadelphia, where A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith were already established. Last year, he finally got some serious action with 64 targets, turning them into 500 yards and three touchdowns. This offense might fit him better than any he's ever played in. We're already seeing the results throughout the past two weeks of camp. He may become the weapon other teams hate dealing with the most come the season.
