D.J. Moore‘s Bears future has been in question, and he will indeed be on the move soon. The veteran wideout will be dealt to the Bills once the new league year begins, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Chicago will receive a 2026 second-round pick (No. 60 overall) in the deal while sending a 2026 fifth-rounder back to Buffalo, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The Bears will also see $16.5MM in cap savings, according to Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap, though that will not kick in until the trade is processed at the start of the new league year. As a result, they will need to make other moves to become cap-compliant by next Wednesday.
The Bills will take on the remainder of Moore’s contract, which runs through 2029. He is owed $24.5MM in each year with the same cap number. His 2026 salary is already guaranteed, and $15.5MM of his 2027 salary guarantees on March 13. Buffalo is also guaranteeing $15.5MM of Moore’s 2028 salary as part of the trade, per Schefter. It is unclear if they are expanding the 2027 guarantees to cover the entire year’s salary. Moore, notably, has negotiated fully-guaranteed compensation for each of his first nine seasons in the NFL and could very well get to 11 as a result of this deal.
Along with the second-rounder they moved to acquire him, that is a hefty commitment for a player who just posted career-low receiving numbers in the NFL’s 10th-ranked passing offense. His 1.44 yards per route run in 2024 and 1.24 YPRR in 2025 are the lowest figures of his career, per Pro Football Focus, (subscription required). However, that can be partially attributed to a crowded Bears offense that featured a strong running game and young pass-catchers Rome Odunze, Colston Loveland, and Luther Burden.
Still, Buffalo had a clear desire to upgrade their receiving corps. They checked in on A.J. Brown and Alec Pierce, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, but ultimately opted to reunite Moore with head coach Joe Brady. The two last worked together in Carolina in 2020 and 2021, during which time Moore put up 2,350 yards and eight touchdowns on 159 receptions. Perhaps Brady can get him back to that production or better in a receiver room with less competition – Khalil Shakir was the only Bills wideout to top 40 receptions or 500 receiving yards last year. But given the financial and draft compensation, it is hard to like this trade for the Bills. Moore is about to turn 29 after two years of decline and the team is essentially tied to him through his age-31 season after adding guarantees to his deal.
Where were the steelers at?????
They just traded for top WR last year
pittsburgh, PA
And the Cap moves begin. They need more done but a mid round pick is also needed. At least that’s what I heard it was.
Has to be more than one mid-round pick
Doubtful. Depends on if the Bears are sending any money to the Bills. Which I doubt.
Moore has a pretty hefty salary this year.
Bears are retaining 12 million.
That has not been reported. What has is it will be a middle round pick in return.
It’s in Spotrac on the Bears page already under dead money.
No. The Bills are taking it all on.
Dead cap charge.
Linderbaum next!
Not retaining and they got a 2nd sorry uncle 0/2
Simple math. Moore was gonna cost 28 million. Bears are saving 16 million. The difference is? Class? 12 million. Correct!
It’s called dead $$, it’s not $$ retained you’re incorrect. Those are two very different things
Don’t care how you want to put it. Bears saving 16 million not 28 million. It’s still plus 16 to the Bears which is all I care about. Maybe if they designate it after June 1st they save more IDK. Just seeing what it says right now.
I dont think they can designate it as 6/1 because they are receiving picks in April’s draft. If those were 2027 picks, they could designate a 6/1 move
Doesnt necessarily mean they are retaining 12M. You can pay a guy a bonus and float the cap into future years. If they floated 12M into 2026, it would count on their books whether or not they had him on their roster. The dead money stays when the player goes.
To retain money, they’d have had to convert some of his 2026 guarantees into a bonus and paid it before the trade. Not yet seeing that as reported as happening. Not saying they didnt, just haven’t seen that they did.
Love you DJ! We’ll miss you in Chicago but unfortunately it seems like it had to happen based on team needs. Josh Allen will love him.
I figured this was coming. The lazy effort on his last route in overtime was inexcusable.
Wasn’t just on that one route. Had been going on all season.
He did seem to take the Bears drafting Rome and Burden personally. Which is weird because I didn’t think he was that kind of guy until he was.
According to Spotrac the Bears are saving 16 million this year. From 28 million down to 12. Nice start. 15 on Edmunds, 11 on Kmet, More picks right now they have around 43 million they didn’t have to spend last week if they get those done.
Plus Dahlman’s $10M.
Id be shocked if they traded Kmet. Ben loves his 12 personnel and Kmet does a lot to help make that successful. I would say a restructure possible but for sure there releasing Edmunds and probably others.
Bears can save 8 million just by cutting Kmet. You don’t pay a B/U TE 11 million bucks and sorry but that’s what he is now. Smythe is a decent #3 but there are tons of TE’s on the market which might make Kmet only worth a 4th or 5th.
Smythe isnt running down field and making that catch against the Rams. You see Kmet as just a 2nd TE where Ben sees a 6th blocker on run plays and a mismatch in coverage and essentially your 3rd/4th WR. Defenses on any run or play action now have to focus on both TEs freezing the LBs and safties. Your not getting the same affect if its Loveland and Smythe.
Easy call if you’re the Bills. Moore is coming off a down year and about to turn 29, so there’s risk, but a third round pick is well worth that risk for a guy who could be the best receiver they’ve had since Diggs. Especially in a bad free agent class for receivers and a draft where the top four receivers will likely be off the board before the Bills pick,
And hey, for the Bears, it’s not bad to get a third round pick for a guy you were clearly going to move on from (if that indeed turns out to be the price).
Bears still have Rome, Burden, And a guy named Jahde Walker who is ready to step up. Zaccheus drops too many passes but re sign Duvernay to be #4 and return punts and Kickoffs and maybe either sign someone or draft one if they get enough picks. Keep the picks coming.
I’m obviously aware of Odense and Burden. Loveland taking up a bigger target share is also relevant here. To be clear, I’m describing this as a good move for both teams. But for the Bears trading Moore seemed inevitable, so the Bills trading for Moore is bigger news.
Wow, autocorrect did me dirty on Odunze.
If the Bears got a two for Moore and a five, that’s great for them. Still worth the gamble for Buffalo.
The Bills taking on all the money and including a second round pick is more than anybody projected the Bears could receive for DJ and a 5th. I think they did very well in this deal.
Yeah, agreed. I still like this deal for Buffalo, though a little less enthusiastically, but I think it’s very good for the Bears now that the details have emerged.
Wait, and now Moore has $60 million in guarantees coming? This is getting a little dicier for the Bills,
Starting to think the Bears might be able to get Crosby. Now they have 2 2nds. They get something for Edmunds and Kmet. I still think they can get a 3rd for Kmet, I might be wrong. Now they need to get the 2 comp picks they deserve and hopefully keep their 1 this year and trade it down and they should be able to re stock the pond. Renegotiate JJ and Thuney a bit, sign Maxx to an extension where his cap comes down a tad and we’re cooking with gas. Keep up the good work boys as Hawk would say. I might trade the Bears 1 next year rather than this year. Too many guys hurt to start the season to give up this years. Maybe renegotiate Odeyingbo down too.
I could see it, though I think Kmet’s value might be a little lower than that on the trade market just because it’s a decent free agent class.
I also wonder if Chicago might be in on Linderbaum now. He would fit their scheme well, and they’ve clearly shown willingness to be aggressive at center.
Not at what he thinks he’s worth. Maxx is worth it. I’d take Bidasz and keep the money. I heard the Raiders were interested in Edmunds. Maybe make him part of the Maxx deal. 2027 first and Edmunds for Maxx. Maxx will be 30 and has a knee. Parsons was 26 and had 2 good knees when the deal was made. That’s the difference. he’s not worth 2 firsts anymore IMO. And not unless we can bring his Cap hit down a tad. Not much but a tad.
I don’t think that gets it done for Crosby. Also Crosby hasn’t even turned 29 yet, so saying he will be 30 is a little disingenuous.
I think they’ll definitely be in on Linderbaum.
@Oooof. Don’t disrespect the bears and uncle mike like that. Lol. I bet he has a breakout year with a QB that doesn’t paint his fingernails.
3rd round pick is what I’m hoping for but I fear it might be lower.
Rapaport is saying it’s a three, but we’ll see.
Pick 60 is almost a 3. Hes close enough.
But we’re talking about the Bills here, so a three would have been 91.
I suspect the Bills will restructure or extend his contract to minimize the 2026 cap hit, and still get an extra 5. Not a bad scenario for either team.
We’re losing a good receiver but getting cap space. I will say Bills fans you will see Moore doesn’t get hurt . He plays smart football and takes care of his body . He will Josh immensely!
Bears are building this team around Williams and 29 year old Moore doesn’t fit the timeline or salary cap future. The Bills are getting exactly what they need in a veteran sure handed receiver that can play in the cold weather.
Thought they were getting their new domed stadium next year.
It was coming. DJ will be missed but obviously the Bears had to cut payroll. Still waiting on Edmunds. Hopefully the Bears are able pull off a trade to get a draft pick instead of just cutting him. On a side note: Last night heard a bizarre rumor regarding Dahlman. The rumor mentions that the Bears approached him regarding a contract restructuring. Dahlman apparently agreed to the upfront restructuring, however wanted a higher salary\signing bonus and extra years tacked on. The Bears disagreed. So, Dahlman decided to just retire. Just sounds crazy to me but who the heck knows.
Seems unlikely. It’s not like players generally lose money in restructures. Retiring makes it seem like something else is going on, even if it’s just not quite having the will anymore.
From what I gathered from the rumor. He agreed to restructure. However, Dahlman wanted his contract restructured as well. Additional years tacked on with higher salary. That likely would mean more bonus money up front. Again, who knows if it’s BS or reality. Just seems foolish to walk away with two years and around 28 million dollars left on a deal.
Football is all about the guaranteed money. That’s how you restructure and get guys to go along. Just don’t make a habit of it, See the Saints for an example of what not to do.
I want more money… No? I’ll take NONE and retire!
this should help pump up aj brown’s value
Bills finally got one for J.A… Their receiving corps looks better now.
A 2 is huge. Maybe AJ really will get a 1&2.
So Caleb will be saying “Romeo! Romeo! Where art thou Romeo!?”
Just seems like him and Burden.
Don’t sleep on Jahde Walker.
Sad to see him go, but it was the right move for both teams. He’s going to cook with Josh Allen. Career year incoming. All the best, DJ.
I think this can work for both sides. I think DJ is a great WR and has done well without incredible QBs. I think a big part of it not working ideally in CHI is DJ and Caleb just being very different types of people and not having chemistry anywhere in the ballpark of a Stafford Kupp. Kind of felt like with Caleb it was always the other guy’s fault. Caleb’s game is a little strange too with being less present and successful in the first 3 quarters compared to the 4th.
So bad fit, get what you can and its a nice return. Josh is probably the ideal guy to get the most out of DJ. Should be astronomically different than what he has seen in the past. Even if he is aging and losing a step over the length of the contract, he can probably shine with Josh and his lack of targets other than the TEs.
I hate this pick for the Bills, absolutely hate it. Maybe a 4th, but a 2nd???? The guy had 50 grabs last year and only one single 1,000 yard season in the last four!!! And on top of this he is owed 25 mill per for multiple seasons!!! Awful pick up. Reeks of desperation.