Who Should I Start? Kendrick Bourne or Olamide Zaccheaus

Tuesday, July 15, 2:11 PM

There are as many as five wide receivers battling for one or two roster spots this summer with the New England Patriots, including Kendrick Bourne, Kayshon Boutte, Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, according to Patriots.com's Evan Lazar. Bourne could have a leg up, as he has a history with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, posting a career-high 925 scrimmage yards with McDaniels in 2021. However, Bourne has overlapping skill sets with younger receivers on the roster, and the Pats may prefer to go with youth, especially since Bourne carries a $7.7 million salary cap hit. Boutte, who broke out last year for 43 catches, 589 yards and three scores, could earn a roster spot because of his ability to excel deep down the field. He has also developed some nice chemistry with quarterback Drake Maye. Polk and Baker both disappointed in their rookie seasons and will need to show more to get a chance in 2025.

Thursday, March 13, 7:04 PM

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports that free-agent wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus is signing a one-year deal with the Chicago Bears. The amount has not yet been disclosed. The 27-year-old bounced around the NFC East over the prior two seasons, spending time with the Washington Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles. He will link up with his fourth team since joining the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2019. Zaccheaus notched a career-high with 45 receptions on 63 targets last season while playing with rookie signal-caller Jayden Daniels and serving as a punt returner for Washington. He projects to slot in as the Bears' third receiver, playing alongside incumbent starters DJ Moore and Rome Odunze. Despite the change in scenery, the Virginia alum can be safely avoided sans deep best-ball formats.