The Chicago Bears threw their hat into the ring of chaos this offseason, sending wide receiver DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills. Moore was a great player for the Bears, but the fact is, this move was always going to be made to help clear up cap space.
It's also not as if the Bears didn't have help waiting in the wings at wide receiver. Now that Moore is off to Buffalo to catch passes from Josh Allen, fans can hopefully see more from last year's second-round pick, Luther Burden.
A standout at Missouri, Burden joined the Bears last year and appeared in all but two games. He finished his rookie season hauling in 47 catches for 652 yards and two touchdowns. For what it's worth, Moore had 50 catches for 682 yards and six touchdowns in 17 regular season games so the drop off isn't much at all.
Bears clearing way for Luther Burden after DJ Moore trade
Now that Moore is off the roster, Burden becomes Caleb Williams' other go-to option next to Rome Odunze, one of the team's first-round picks in 2024. That's a nice one-two punch for Ben Johnson's offense, and hopefully, in a more elevated role, Burden truly gets a chance to shine.
Burden's best year collegiately came in 2023, when he caught 86 passes for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns. His 2024 campaign wasn't as strong, but Mizzou had quarterback injuries that year, which definitely impacted Burden's numbers. He was still a no-brainer to enter the 2025 draft, though, and, as we saw, teams weren't scared of the down year whatsoever.
The Bears put together a fun year in 2025, and while Moore was a big part of that, these are the kind of moves Super Bowl contenders have to make. The good news for Chicago is that Burden is already on the roster and playing well, ensuring the talent at Williams' disposal doesn't drop off much.
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Right now, this appears to be a good move for everyone involved because it frees up cap space for the Bears. As for Moore, he gets to go to a really good team with a really good quarterback, where he can continue to compete for a championship. This feels like a win-win for both Moore and the Bears, but it's arguably the biggest win for Burden, who now will get a chance to prove why he was a second-round pick.