The first big domino of the Chicago Bears' offseason has now fallen. According to multiple reports, wide receiver DJ Moore is headed to the Buffalo Bills for what NFL Network's Ian Rapoport was first to report to be a "mid-round pick."
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero later reported the Bears are getting a 2026 second-round pick from the Bills for Moore and a 2026 fifth-round pick.
Moore will always hold a special place in Bears' history, with two memorable game-winning touchdown catches against the rival Green Bay Packers last season. But that doesn't obscure that it was a down season for him overall in 2025, and that his future salaries were not aligned with his projected role in the offense moving forward.
The trade that brought Moore to Chicago from the Carolina Panthers also yielded the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft, which, of course, was used on Caleb Williams.
When it came down to it, though, with multiple contending teams in need of reinforcements at wide receiver, Bears general manager Ryan Poles was in a great position to cash in Moore as a trade asset. The net draft pick return, as good as it is, is less important than the salary cap implications.
Updated Chicago Bears salary cap situation after DJ Moore trade
The four-year, $110 million contract extension the Bears signed Moore to in July of 2024 was just set to kick in this year. With that in mind, trading him becomes less ideal, but the writing was on the wall regarding his possible departure going back several months, and it had to happen for him and the team.
Before the trade, according to Over The Cap, the Bears were $7.46 million over the projected $301.2 million salary cap for 2026. Moving Moore creates $16.5 million in cap space off the top, but after a full accounting, it comes out to a little less than that in actual cap savings. But the Bears are under the salary cap now, about $8.1 million according to Over The Cap, with more moves coming to clear space.
Read more: Updated DJ Moore trade details prove Bears outright fleeced the Bills
Trading Moore, via the remaining proration of the signing bonus from the contract extension, also leaves the Bears with a $12 million dead-money hit this year. That kind of dead money hit is not ideal, but the Bears were previously carrying just under $918,000 in dead money for 2026, so it's easier to stomach with that in mind.