The Chicago Bears made a folk hero out of DJ Moore last season. Granted, the wide receiver did most of the worst with two of the most meaningful catches in franchise history, but their media machine took care of the rest. Despite playing only three seasons with the team, he will be remembered more fondly than names like Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall, even though the latter two were more productive. That is what happens when you slay the Green Bay Packers demon with two mighty killing blows.
Sadly, the story doesn’t have a happy ending. The tax man came calling. Chicago had serious salary cap problems and had to find ways to address them. One of the few they had that didn’t involve restructuring contracts was unloading Moore, who counted $28.5 million against the books. With Luther Burden and Rome Odunze in place, it was a tough sacrifice the Bears were willing to make, trading Moore to the Buffalo Bills for a 2nd round pick. While the deal made sense on paper, some NFL executives told Mike Sando of The Athletic that Buffalo got fleeced.
“D.J. Moore was gonna get cut, and they gave up a second-round pick to get him,” one exec said. “They gave up a second-round pick and $40 million (in guarantees). What is going on?”
As one agent noted, getting free agents to choose Buffalo over other NFL cities can be tricky. Recent history could be another factor, as former coach Sean McDermott complained about personnel, especially at wide receiver. Moore played under new coach Joe Brady in Carolina. No one can say the Bills did not get the receiver Brady sought.
“D.J. Moore has two years of regression now,” another exec said. “He is a non-traditional receiver that wins with size and yards after the catch. I still feel they needed someone that could win down the field. Moore can do that — he did it to beat Green Bay. But I feel like his strength is on the underneath catch-and-run stuff, which they already have with (Khalil) Shakir.”
The Bills badly need DJ Moore to excel.
In most cases, that sort of trade should’ve probably gone for a 4th round pick. Moore’s sagging production and hefty contract made it so. However, Buffalo needed a playmaker more than ever. Somebody who could make things happen in big games. They saw what Moore did in crucial moments all season for the Bears. They were willing to overpay somewhat to get that guy on their roster. Now, Josh Allen may finally have someone who can step up in the playoffs, which has been a constant issue for years.
One also must not discount head coach Joe Brady. He worked with Moore in Carolina for two seasons. They know each other well. If anybody understands how to get the most from the veteran receiver, it would be him. As in most cases like this, nobody will mention the price tag if the player delivers. Moore cracking 1,000 yards and making some big catches in the playoffs will make that 2nd round pick look like a bargain. It is up to Chicago to make full use of it as they continue retooling their roster.
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Moore deserves the benefit of the doubt.
What happened in Chicago wasn’t entirely his fault. After an outstanding 2023 season, the team switched quarterbacks in 2024 to a rookie, Caleb Williams. That goes without mentioning the disastrous Shane Waldron situation at offensive coordinator. Then last year, Ben Johnson arrived with a new offense that was predicated on featuring the tight end position a lot more. DJ Moore did the best he could with the targets he got. It is worth mentioning that if he had gotten his usual 130 targets, he would’ve cracked 1,000 yards.
Maybe Buffalo overpaid, but that doesn’t mean their offense isn’t better with Moore involved. He gives them options they didn’t really have last year. The idea that the Bears would’ve cut him if they hadn’t found a trade partner is untrue. Team brass insisted they didn’t really want to move on from Moore. Business issues merely made it necessary. Don’t be surprised if in a few years this trade will be looked at as a win-win for both teams.
