The Chicago Bears made a blockbuster trade sending the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft to the Carolina Panthers for a massive haul. Not only does Chicago get two first-round picks and two second-rounders, but they acquired wide receiver DJ Moore.
Moore is one of the NFL’s most underrated players considering he’s never played with a great — even average — quarterback. Now, he’ll be paired with one of the league’s most exciting players in Justin Fields.
Moore has three 1,000-yard seasons in his first five seasons, and he’s someone who should elevate Chicago’s passing game. But what exactly are the Bears getting in Moore?
We spoke to Anthony Rizzuti of Panthers Wire, who gave us the rundown on what we can expect from the Bears’ new wide receiver and why he’s a good fit for Chicago.
What kind of player are the Bears getting in DJ Moore?
Anthony Rizzuti: The Bears are getting themselves an absolute gamer in Moore. He’s a guy who lets his play do all of the talking — especially since you won’t find a more soft-spoken, low-key No. 1 wideout in the league. The fact that he never once complained about having to catch passes from nine different quarterbacks — eight of them starters — tells you how much of a pro he is.
What’s Moore’s biggest strength(s)?
AR: Moore shines most when the rock is in his hands. He’s shown, even before stepping foot in the league, that he has a special mix of burst and balance as a ball carrier. Those skills helped Moore record at least 1,200 scrimmage yards from 2019 to 2021 — making him the only wide receiver to do so in that particular span.
What’s Moore’s biggest area(s) for improvement?
AR: While he has improved steadily in this department, route running has never been Moore’s forte. As a raw but potent prospect, he needed a bit of time to refine his footwork at the pro level. Some, including former college and Carolina teammate Jermaine Carter Jr., have even said he’s a receiver in a running back’s body. (That was, despite the preceding context, a compliment from Carter, by the way.) And to Moore’s credit, it’s not been easy to track his progress as a route runner with such poor and unstable play under center.
What impact did Moore have on offense during his time with the Panthers?
AR: If former Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey was the engine of the offense, then Moore was the transmission. Albeit a jalopy most of the time, Carolina car’s ran off the relentlessness and drive (hey, another car pun!) of the talented pass catcher.
Moore was also the lone constant in a largely underwhelming, ever-changing wideout room. Since he entered the league in 2018, the Panthers have had five 1,000-yard receivers—with Moore accounting as three of them.
Why do you think Moore could be a good fit for the Bears?
AR: What immediately comes to mind is how much fun Bears fans will have watching quarterback Justin Fields connect with Moore, particularly when things break down. Given Fields’ electric mobility and Moore’s prowess to sniff out open space on longer developing plays, the two should combine to create some exciting football and, eventually, a dangerous connection.
