People have debated what level of wide receiver the Chicago Bears acquired when they got D.J. Moore from the Carolina Panthers in March. While nobody sees him as an elite player like Justin Jefferson or Ja'Marr Chase, some think he's at the same level as Stefon Diggs. He doesn't necessarily take over games, but he can impact them in a big way. An answer to this question arrived courtesy of Pro Football Focus, where they ranked the 32 best wide receivers in the NFL going into the 2023 season.
The usual suspects were at the top, like Jefferson, Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill, and Chase. Moore is not in Diggs territory. The Buffalo Bills star ranked a surprising fifth on the list. As for the Bears' newest arrival, he settled into the 16th spot between Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jaylen Waddle.
"The Chicago Bears securing Moore's services as part of their trade out of the No. 1 overall pick in the draft was a real coup. He isn’t coming off a great year of production, but prior to last season Moore had three straight years of 1,100-plus receiving yards and is still averaging 1.94 yards per route run for his career despite some ugly quarterback situations. Moore can be the elite target Justin Fields has not yet had in the NFL."
While some Bears fans may think that ranking is too low, but in reality, it is fair and a massive tip of the cap. If you're a top 20 receiver in the NFL, you are an outstanding player. Moore is an outstanding player.
D.J. Moore doesn't need to be elite.
History shows teams don't require top five receivers to succeed in the NFL. They need one really good receiver and two competent ones. The Bears already had the two latter with Chase Claypool and Darnell Mooney. All they required was that final piece to bring everything together. Moore is that guy. This is easily the best wide receiver trio the organization has pieced together since Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, and Earl Bennett. That bodes well for Justin Fields in his bid to ascend this coming year.
Remember, D.J. Moore was able to get 1,000-yard seasons from Kyle Allen and Teddy Bridgewater. The sign of a top receiver is being able to excel despite less-than-ideal circumstances. This guy can. Thanks to his route-running skills and reliable hands, he makes life easier for everybody. A perfect security blanket. If everybody stays healthy, this passing attack has a chance to make a big leap. That might finally shut up all the Fields critics from the past two years.
