When the NFL's new year officially begins on Monday, the Chicago Bears will look different. They announced that wide receiver DJ Moore was traded to the Buffalo Bills, along with the 5th-round pick, in exchange for their second-round pick (60th).
Many will remember Moore was the centerpiece of the blockbuster deal when the Bears sent their first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to the Carolina Panthers, which also netted them several draft picks. One of them was their 2024 first-round pick, which became the first overall pick, and the Bears selected Caleb Williams.
After coming off 96 receptions and a career high 1,364 yards playing with Justin Fields in 2023, many expected Moore to continue putting up even bigger numbers with Williams. Instead, his departure closes a chapter defined by highlight‑reel brilliance and maddening inconsistency.
DJ Moore's complex three years in Chicago with the Bears
You might remember Moore caused quite a stir when he appeared to stop running his route and walk off the field while the play was still in progress in a game against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 9 of the 2024 season. He later explained that he "tweaked" his ankle while trying to adjust to Caleb Williams' scramble.
And who can forget the NFC divisional round game against the Los Angeles Rams in January, which Moore was criticized for not finishing a route that resulted in an interception by safety Kam Curl in overtime? Williams stated that it was a miscommunication when he expected Moore to break his route underneath the safety, but Moore kept his route vertical. His effort drew heavy criticism from both the fans and analysts.
It overshadowed Moore's game-winning touchdown pass from Williams to win 31-27 against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Wild Card game the previous week. It was also their first playoff win in 15 years. The Bears had trailed 21-3 at halftime and looked dead the entire game before making a furious comeback.
And who can forget his game-winning touchdown catch from Williams during their Week 16 matchup against the same Packers in overtime, where they trailed 16-3 in the fourth quarter? And the week before against the Cleveland Browns, he caught a pass from Williams, which drew comparison to "The Catch" between Joe Montana and the late Dwight Clark in the 1982 NFC Championship, which was even more impressive.
He would have been a third or fourth option in 2026, with the emergence of both tight end Colston Loveland and wide receivers Luther Burden III and Rome Odunze, who is looking to redeem himself in 2026 after his season was derailed by a stress fracture in his foot. Going to Buffalo, which was seeking a proven playmaker for quarterback Josh Allen, was a perfect resolution for both the Bears and Moore.
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Moore will always have a special place in the minds of many Bears fans after what he did against the arch-rival Packers this past season. But his tenure will be remembered for the spectacular plays that lifted Chicago to victories, the frustrating lapses that cost them others, and the constant sense that he was both indispensable and imperfect.