Reflecting on the DJ Moore trade
By: Jake Rajala
It’s official: the Chicago Bears have traded the veteran wide receiver DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills. Moore is an underrated weapon. He recorded 682 receiving yards and six touchdowns last season. It wasn’t easy for him to stand out with Rome Odunzo and Luther Burden in the WR room. I’d say Moore was the odd man out. He is 28, so he isn’t overly old. He is older the Odunzo (which is 23) and Burden (who is 22 years old). He had a PFF grade of 65.8, which was 40th out of 81 wideouts. Hopefully, he can be the WR that he once was with the Panthers.
Moore had an average 2026 season, but he still has had excellent moments in his career. He had 1,364 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in 2023. He also nearly had 1k yards in 2024, where he recorded 966 yards.
I would give the Bills a B for their acquisition of Moore. He is arguably their best WR right now. I’d put him ahead of Khalil Shakir and Joshua Palmer. Shakir is a modest wideout. He has never had a 1k yard season, but he has been somewhat reliable. He had 719 yards and four touchdowns last season. In 2024, he registered 821 yards. Shakir had a PFF grade of 70.4, so there’s certainly room to improve. As for Palmer, he isn’t exactly daunting. He unleashed 303 yards last season. However, he only played in 12 games. His career high statistics came in 2022, where he notched 769 yards and three touchdowns. He was a Charger back then. The Bills also have Brandin Cooks, but I believe he’s on his last legs, and will probably play 1-2 more seasons, before hanging up his cleats.
I would hand the Bears an A for them trading Moore (and a seventh round pick) away. They received a second round pick for his services. I fully believe he should elevate his game with Allen at QB, versus Caleb Williams at QB. However, I don’t believe he’s worth a second round a pick. Luther Burden was a second round pick in the 2025 draft. So, they can certainly find a hidden gem in the second round pick.
The last elite WR to play for the Bills was none other than Stefon Diggs. He made four Pro Bowls with the Bills Mafia. With the Patriots cutting Diggs, the Bills could even bring him back. He had a career high of 1,535 yards and personal best 127 catches with the Bills in 2020.
Moore is also being paid a lot of money. He is paid through the 2029 season. He is the 13th highest paid WR right now. He is paid more than the likes of DeVonta Smith, Jameson Williams, and Davante Adams.
I don’t believe the Bills should stop there. Moore is a superb wideout, but he can’t carry their lackluster group. Matthew Stafford won MVP with two elite toys: the NFL’s top WR Puka Nacu and the best red-zone WR Davante Adams. It’s time to give Allen some numerous prolific weapons.
I believe the Bears can snag a young WR after the trade of Moore. They could also use both of their second round picks to move into the back end of the first round. If they don’t want to draft a WR in the second round, they could use their pick to draft a figure on defense, such as a middle linebacker. Tremaine Edmunds will likely be cut or traded. They have Colston Loveland at TE (who had six touchdowns and 713 yards a season ago), but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have a two-headed monster at TE. Travis Kelce may wish to join the Bills, as they look better than the Chiefs.
This move for Moore means the Bills are desperate to get to the Super Bowl. The last time that the Bills reached the big dance was in 1994. To make matters worse, the Bills have never won the Super Bowl.
The Bears shouldn’t be timid about trading away Moore, as they play in an NFC North division that had each squad with a winning record. They should feel confident about a player in the 2026 second round that can make an immediate impact.
The faces that should contemplate joining the Bills are Rashid Shaheed and Keenan Allen. Shaheed will likely test the market and look to join an elite QB and team has the potential to reach the Super Bowl. Shaheed isn’t only an All-Pro return specialist. He has the deep speed at WR to change the game in one play. As for Allen, I expect him to join a Super Bowl contender before he retires, which should happen soon. Allen only has one season below 700 receiving yards, which came in 2016, where he only played in one game.
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