While the Buffalo Bills, with their 3-0 start to the regular season, seem to have made a deft move in trading for Chicago Bears wide receiver D.J. Moore, only time will tell if it works out in the end.
For some, though, the Bears and their dearth of talent at wide receiver and tight end are already being declared the winners less than 1 month into the season.
“The Chicago Bears made a difficult decision when they traded DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills before the 2026 season, but the move is becoming easier to understand with every passing week,” Heavy’s Garrett Klaus wrote on October 2. “Moore was one of the most established players on Chicago’s offense, so moving on from him created an obvious question: Who would replace his production? So far, the Bears have found the answer in multiple places. Luther Burden III continues to look like a major part of Caleb Williams’ future, while Rome Odunze and Colston Loveland remain important pieces of the passing game. Veteran newcomer Kalif Raymond has also provided a steady presence, giving the Bears another reliable option as he currently leads all Bears receivers with 214 yards.”
Moore has 11 receptions for 167 yards and 1 touchdown through 3 games, but that’s a deceiving stat — he was injured in the 1st quarter of a Week 2 win over the Detroit Lions and never returned, so his stats are really just for 2 games.
The Bears are 2-1 and coming off a thrilling Week 3 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football.
SI Called Moore NFL’s ‘Top Offseason Addition’
Sports Illustrated’s Eva Geithem called Moore the NFL’s “Top Offseason Addition” after his sparkling Week 1 debut — 5 receptions for 100 yards and 1 touchdown in a 36-30 road win over the Houston Texans.
“After they had struggled in recent matchups against the Texans, the Bills’ offense was explosive against Houston on Sunday, racking up 36 points and 409 yards of offense,” Geithem wrote on September 15. “One reason for the improvement? The addition of D.J. Moore. the Bills’ prior lack of top-end receivers made it hard for them to challenge the Texans’ defense, but with Moore—and tight end Dalton Kincaid being healthy—they were able to create big plays in the passing game and score 36 points. Case in point, Moore averaged 20 yards per catch as he hauled in five passes for 100 yards and a touchdown. The Bills had to pay a steep trade price to land Moore (a second-round pick for Moore and a fifth), but if he continues to have this positive of an impact on the passing game, it will be well worth the cost.”
Bills Took on D.J. Moore’s Massive Contract
While Moore’s production with the Bears left a lot to be desired — the bigger risk with him is the 4-year, $110 million contract extension he signed before the 2024 season, even if he did clear 1 year off the end of it by converting $22.1 million into a signing bonus just 1 week after the trade to the Bills.
Moore’s 2024 deal followed career highs of 96 receptions, 1,364 yards, and 9 total touchdowns in 2023. He followed that with 966 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2024, then a dismal 682 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2025 as the Bears won the NFC North Division, although he was arguably their best player in 2 postseason games.
While Moore’s salary cap hit is $6.752 million in 2026, it balloons up to $28.9 million in 2027. The Bills don’t have a manageable out in the contract until 2028, when cutting him would incur a dead cap hit of approximately $13.3 million
Buffalo Bills Called Losers in Trade for $110 Million WR