The Bears' D.J. Moore Pursuit Began Way Earlier Than We Thought

As research continued into the 2023 off-season, Ryan Poles reached a realization. He had to get more help at wide receiver for Justin Fields. The problem was he wasn't likely to find an immediate difference-maker in free agency or the draft. The Chicago Bears GM wanted to upgrade the offensive and defensive lines, but he couldn't do that if the lingering concerns at receiver hamstrung him. He had to find a solution. It took a few months, but Poles came through in a blockbuster deal with Carolina that landed three extra draft picks and 25-year-old receiver D.J. Moore.

Moore was a big surprise. People didn't expect the Panthers to include their best offensive player in the deal. It seems they wanted to give Chicago a 1st in 2025 instead, but Poles wouldn't accept it. Not if they wished to have #1 pick before free agency. Moore would need to be in the package, or they would have to wait. That carried a lot of risks. So Carolina made the deal. It turns out the genesis of this move started months ago. Former Bears scout Greg Gabriel revealed some fascinating details for Windy City Gridiron.

It seems Poles had an idea of what he would do long the moment last season ended.

A deal for the top pick in the Draft has never been made this early in the process, so I don’t think some of the clubs involved were ready to deal. Carolina, on the other hand, wanted to be in position to get the quarterback of their choosing, so they were open to making a deal. From what I understand, the key element in this trade was wide receiver D.J. Moore. There would be no trade unless Moore was part of the package.

In January, while in Las Vegas for the East-West Shrine Bowl, I had a chance to meet with Ryan Poles. It was a nice discussion that lasted about an hour. When the topic of wide receiver came up, he told me he was looking “for another separator…similar to Mooney but a little bigger.” Poles got just that in D.J Moore.

D.J. Moore is everything the Bears could've wanted.

No, he is not quite at the level of Justin Jefferson or Ja'Marr Chase. However, he isn't too far behind. This guy is a top-notch football player. He's quick, agile, and fast. His route-running is a core strength of his game and people often overlook how good of a blocker he is in the run game. A good comparison is Terry McLaurin in Washington. Quarterbacks rarely regret throwing the ball in his direction. His style of play is an excellent fit for Fields too. Combined with Darnell Mooney, the Bears suddenly have a dynamic tandem at receiver.

The next step is bolstering the offensive line. Fields can't expect to connect with D.J. Moore if he keeps running for his life. Expectations are that Poles will be active in upgrading that group in both free agency and the draft. With some luck, Fields' protection will significantly improve. If he is allowed some time in the pocket, Moore and Mooney could feast on defenses this year. Maybe even Chase Claypool will rebound from his slow start. For the first time in years, the Bears have something cooking in the passing game.