How the Chicago Bears signing WR Olamide Zaccheaus impacts their 2025 depth chart

The expected departure of Chicago Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen in 2025 free agency had most fans expecting GM Ryan Poles would sign a pass catcher to replace him, but after the first two days of the spending spree came and went without a wide receiver in the fold, concerns over who would be the Bears' WR3 began to grow.

But Poles always has a plan, and in this case, that wide receiver plan was Olamide Zaccheaus.

Zaccheaus, 27, began his career with the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent out of Virginia in 2019. He played four seasons in Atlanta before signing with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023 and then the Washington Commanders, where he enjoyed a career year in 2024.

Zaccheaus finished the 2024 season with 45 catches for 506 yards and three touchdowns and added value as a quality punt returner on special teams. At 5-foot-8 and 193 pounds, he profiles as a slot receiver in Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson's offense, rounding out what should be the top three receivers on the depth chart.

Updated Chicago Bears' wide receiver depth chart

DJ Moore will begin the 2025 season as the WR1, with Rome Odunze, the ninth overall pick from the 2024 NFL Draft, elevating to WR2, the spot previously held by Allen. That leaves Zaccheaus as the expected WR3 out of the slot and bumps Tyler Scott, the Bears' fourth-round pick in 2023, down to the fourth wide receiver on the depth chart.

The rest of the Bears' wide receiver room, as it currently stands, includes Maurice Alexander, Samori Toure, and John Jackson, none of whom are guaranteed a roster spot by the time September rolls around.

I'd argue Scott isn't either; he's underwhelmed during his first two years in the league.

Here's the key takeaway: The Chicago Bears are far from finished adding wide receivers to this roster. Only three receivers -- Moore, Odunze, and Zaccheaus -- are assured a roster spot, and with most NFL teams carrying five or even six pass catchers on their gameday roster, there's plenty of room for Poles to invest more free-agency money or a high 2025 draft pick into the position.

The most likely significant investment the Bears will make at wide receiver will come via the draft, where Chicago has two of the first 10 second-round picks.

Wide receiver prospects who are expected to hang around until the second round include TCU's Jack Bech, Stanford's Elic Ayomanor, and Ole Miss' Tre Harris.