The Bears took care of one major financial priority recently by working out an extension with trade acquisition Montez Sweat. The team also has a new deal to negotiate with cornerback Jaylon Johnson, but decisions of that nature need to be made on the offensive side of the ball as well. 
Receiver Darnell Mooney is playing out the final year of his rookie contract, and he entered the 2023 campaign needing to deliver a healthy and productive season to return to his 2021 form. His 81-catch, 1,055-yard season that year showed his potential as a long-term contributor to the Bears’ passing attack, but he has been unable to replicate that success since. An ankle injury cost Mooney the final five games of the 2022 season, though he was healthy in time for the start of 2023.
The 26-year-old changed agents ahead of this campaign, one in which D.J. Moore has unsurprisingly served as the focal point of Chicago’s passing attack. The former Panther leads the Bears with 735 receiving yards, and Mooney sits third on the team (second amongst wideouts) with 307. The latter eclipsed 50 receiving yards in a game for the third time in Week 9, but an uptick in production in the second half will likely be needed to boost his free agent stock. With contract talks looming, the former fifth-rounder recently spoke about his situation.
“Everything’s up in the air,” Mooney said, via ESPN’s Courtney Cronin. “Whatever happens it happens… eventually somebody is going to pay. Whether it’s here or wherever you go, somebody is going to take care of you… Extensions [are] a good thing. Obviously I would love to be here. I love Chicago. I love the fans. I love just being here. I mean, we’ve got everything in here. Facility-wise we have one of the nicest facilities ever so I would definitely love to be here but like I said you just can’t worry about it. Somebody is going to pay eventually.”
Aside from Moore and tight end Cole Kmet – who signed a four-year, $50MM extension this summer – the Bears do not have much certainty in their pass-catching corps beyond this season. Retaining Mooney would help in that regard, particularly if the Tulane product’s desire to remain in the Windy City holds true. Chicago is projected to have considerable cap space once again this offseason, though, along with a pair of projected top-five draft picks. The team could thus move in a different direction if an agreement with Mooney cannot be reached in the coming months.
Try to take a 1 year deal on a team with a qb and try FA in after the 24 season
Mooney is eyeing one but I promise the Bears aren’t lol
Meanwhile in other news Poles fails miserably by letting someone poach Kramer when the Bears C’s are the absolute WORST in the NFL. You really couldn’t find a spot for him on the 53? I can think of 8 guys I could easily launch that are horrible and or useless. Starting with that pathetic punt returner and Velus Jones who has to be under consideration for the worst 3rd round pick ever.
I empathize with people like you. You know your team is horribly run, but are loyal to the end! Good on you.
I had to cut bait on the Redskins around year 5-7 under Dan. He destroyed everything Jack K Cooke stood for. I just couldn’t stomach it any longer. Records like 3-13, 4-12, 6-10, 2-14….Too much for me to handle.
But I thought the Marines motto was Semper Fi.
Its is. We also don’t have a 80+ year (less 1985) track record of being fugly.
Eberflus will be canned at the end of the year guaranteed…You need a head coach that is going to attract FAs and apparently control his other coaches, which he has not done.
Amazingly, Poles gave Flus a strong endorsement last week, saying that he was doing a fine job behind the scenes of changing their culture. I don’t see how it could be justified to bring back Flus or Getsy barring an incredible turnaround, which seems highly improbable even if Fields returns unleashed. May require team President to step in and hit reset, but that too seems improbable for a very conservative organization.
Patrick
Whitehair
Taylor
Jones Jr.
Cole
Homer
Petermann
Any of those pathetic wastes of space should of been launched before Kramer.
Not to mention that Tyrique Stevenson is shaping up to be the WORST 2nd round pick ever.
It hasn’t been a very productive year for Poles. Ian Cunningham is sitting right there and might be a better answer and he knows the players already.
If Ryan Poles has failed so badly Why would you think hiring his assistant would be a good idea like that doesn’t even make sense
Ian Cunningham is widely respected around the NFL, Came from Philadelphia and Poles came from KC. Cunningham has interviewed for multiple GM jobs and I’m wondering if the Bears hired the wrong guy. I had heard of Cunningham but never heard of Poles before he got here. Does it make sense now?
No that didn’t answer my question at all. My question is why would you believe an assistant of a person would be so much better than the actual person.