Over the last couple of years, the Buffalo Bills have been heavily criticized for not being aggressive enough in acquiring top talent for Josh Allen in the passing game.
It has been clear that the team badly needed a new No. 1 wide receiver. This offseason, the Bills decided to get aggressive and Brandon Beane was able to land DJ Moore in a trade with the Chicago Bears.
Moore will be the best wide receiver that Allen has had since the Stefon Diggs days.
Despite the aggressiveness to surround Allen with more talent, which is exactly what has been demanded from Buffalo, the Bills are facing backlash for the move. The reasoning given was also a bit surprising.
ESPN Analyst Criticizes Buffalo Bills Over DJ Moore Trade
ESPN’s Seth Walder only gave Buffalo a “D” grade for acquiring a No. 1 target for Allen. After all of the calls for a big wide receiver move, the Bills are facing backlash for making one.
Here is what Walder had to say about the trade and why he’s grading it poorly.
“You can understand how the Bills got to this point. They have an all-world quarterback but have failed to surround him with enough receiving talent and wanted to rectify that issue,” Walder wrote.
“Ultimately, I think the Bills’ instinct at wide receiver is correct. But to pay real draft capital for the right to take on what is likely an overpriced contract and add extra guarantees is far from optimal.”
In order to acquire Moore from the Bears, Buffalo gave up a 2026 second-round pick. The Bills also acquired a 2026 fifth-round pick along with Moore.
Why the Bills Made the Right Decision to Acquire Moore
Granted, giving up a second-round pick is a difficult decision. However, it’s also possible that Buffalo could have gambled, not made the move, and missed out on a top-tier weapon for Allen.
Moore is a very good wide receiver. He is coming off of a 2025 season with Chicago that saw him catch 50 passes for 682 yards and six touchdowns. In 2024, he caught 98 passes for 966 yards and six touchdowns.
Back in the 2023 campaign, Moore posted much bigger numbers in his first year with the Bears. He racked up 96 receptions for 1,364 yards and eight scores.
At the very least, the Bills made it clear to Allen that they are in with him. They were aggressive to support their superstar quarterback. That needed to happen.
Anyone can nitpick any move and find an issue with it. Moore heading to Buffalo will help the Bills contend for a Super Bowl in 2026, which is all that really matters at the end of the day.
Bills Facing Backlash Over DJ Moore Trade for Surprising Reason