The Eagles’ veteran exodus continued Wednesday when free agent wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus agreed to contract terms with the Washington Commanders. The news was first reported by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
He's the 14th player who started at least one game for the Eagles last year who either retired, has been released or signed elsewhere. That doesn't include five free agents who haven't signed with another team but aren't currently on the Eagles' roster.
After averaging 30 catches for 404 yards and two TDs his last three years with the Falcons, Zaccheaus had a disappointing one year with the Eagles, with 10 catches for 164 yards and two touchdowns.
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During one seven-game stretch, he had just four catches for 29 yards. The last 14 games of the season, he had as many catches for at least 25 yards on passes thrown by punter Braden Mann as Jalen Hurts (one).
He played 471 snaps on offense, more than 40 percent of the available offensive snaps. He was the only NFL wide receiver to play 400 snaps and catch 10 or fewer passes and the first Eagles WR to do that since J.J. Arcega-Whiteside in 2019 (486 snaps, 10 catches).
In Washington, Zaccheaus will be reunited with new Commanders head coach Dan Quinn, whose last two years as Falcons head coach were 2019 and 2020, the first two years of Zaccheaus’ NFL career.
The Eagles are in the process of reshaping their wide receiver corps, adding Parris Campbell and DeVante Parker and not attempting to re-sign Quez Watkins, Julio Jones or Zaccheaus. Watkins signed with the Steelers on Monday. Jones, a future Hall of Famer, is not currently with a team and may retire.
Philadelphia Eagles
Zaccheaus is the second Eagles veteran to sign with Washington. Backup quarterback Marcus Mariota signed a one-year, $6 million deal with the Commanders two weeks ago.
Other members of the 2023 Eagles who’ve signed elsewhere include D’Andre Swift and Kevin Byard (Bears), Jack Driscoll (Dolphins), Nicholas Morrow (Bills), Sua Opeta (Buccaneers), Jack Stoll (Giants) and Watkins (Steelers).
Zaccheaus, a Philly native from St. Joe’s Prep, was expected to fill the third receiver role behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith this year but only had one game with over 30 receiving yards – he was 2-for-58 with a 34-yard touchdown Week 3 in Tampa – and never caught more than two passes in a game.
Last season was the first that the Eagles didn’t have a third wide receiver with at least 175 yards since Fred Barnett and Calvin Williams in 1992.
Other former Eagles on Washington's roster include tight end Zach Ertz, offensive lineman Julian Good-Jones, safety Jeremy Reaves and Mariota.