As the year comes to a close, it is hard not to look ahead just a little bit. One emerging question that's been on the minds of Chicago Bears fans all season long is just what the team is going to do with wide receiver DJ Moore in the coming offseason.
It took a little while, but rookie Luther Burden III has become increasingly integrated into the offense and performed very well on a per-route basis. If you ask a lot of the analytics nerds, he is one of the best in the league -- he needs more opportunities.
Then, you have the case of first-round pick Rome Odunze, who looks every bit of a true WR1 when healthy and involved.
So, after once pulling off a trade that brought Moore to Chicago, what will general manager Ryan Poles do?
D.J. Moore could be expendable during the 2026 offseason
Looking at Moore's contract, the Bears won't be able to get out of it next year. This is the first of the four years that were added to his extension, signed in 2024. He comes with a $28.5 million cap hit in 2026, and Chicago would lose $7 million if it cut him. But in 2027, the Bears would see nearly $20 million in cap savings with his contract off the books.
So, maybe they wait a year before dealing Moore. But, the talks could certainly heat up this offseason.
The future of this team is clearly Odunze and Burden, but that doesn't mean Moore isn't still an excellent player. He is. Just look at his play against the Cleveland Browns not too long ago. Caleb Williams clearly had a connection with the vet.
But when Odunze and Burden are healthy, they will continue seeing more and more involvement. After all, they're the more recent investments, and Burden was the first wide receiver taken by Ben Johnson.
There are indeed teams who could use Moore as early as this next offseason, so don't rule out the possibility of the Bears attempting to trade him and save some money. Being able to use that cash on the defensive side and, particularly across the defensive line, would make a big difference.
Let's say another team were to offer something along the lines of a mid-to-late third-round pick. Does Poles jump at that opportunity? Maybe.
Or, again, maybe the Bears wait it out another year and decide to move on in 2027.