What makes the NFL a fun league to cover is the randomness that can happen at any point throughout the season.
Whether it’s a surprising outcome that leads to upset, or a coach being fired, or a trade that nobody saw coming, that’s what makes professional football exciting and a must-watch for fans. For Bears fans, the 2025 NFL season featured plenty of surprises and outcomes that will still have some people questioning those fourth-quarter comebacks.
With a fanbase that has grown accustomed to surprises, ESPN has made a prediction that may be shocking to some Bears fans, while others may view it as obvious. In ESPN’s "2026 NFL offseason: Free agents, draft notes, predictions” article, here is what NFL analyst Ben Solak wrote down for the Chicago Bears.
“Big prediction for the offseason: The Bears will trade wide receiver DJ Moore, as the future of the position seems set with Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III. Most of Moore's money is tied up in salary, not bonuses, which makes it palatable for Chicago to trade him even with four years left on his contract. At 29, he should still be enticing to teams in need of veteran WR play.”
Bears could do the unthinkable and trade DJ Moore away
For the people who would view this as a surprise, Moore produced some of the biggest plays of the Bears' 2025 season. His game-winning touchdown in overtime against the Green Bay Packers in Week 16 should be viewed as one of the top plays in the regular season across the league. That 46-yard touchdown will be forever etched in the all-time best Bears memories.
A few weeks later, in the Wild Card matchup against Green Bay, Moore caught the game-deciding touchdown. The Bears’ wide receiver came up clutch in some high-pressure moments.
He ended the year with 50 receptions for 682 yards and six touchdowns, which was a down year for the veteran wide receiver. But he played in all 17 games, and general manager Ryan Poles highlighted Moore’s toughness in the end-of-season news conference.
For those who view trading Moore as a foregone conclusion, as Solake mentioned, Odunze and Burden are the future of this team. Trading away Moore would create more opportunities for the younger receivers.
There is more of an outside perception, but many blamed Moore for Caleb Williams’ interception in overtime against the Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional Round. Moore’s effort on the route was questioned, but the Bears’ quarterback mentioned that “miscommunication” played a role in the play.
Read more: Daniel Jeremiah's first NFL mock draft gives Bears stunning first-round pick
There are surprise moves that happen all the time in the NFL, and the Bears' trading Moore would definitely fit into that category if it comes to fruition.