Our series profiling the 20 most important Chicago Bears players in 2023 is winding down. At number two is wide receiver D.J. Moore.
Chicago Bears training camp is a week away. As we waited for the start, we’ve been counting down the 20 most important players for the team in 2023. You can see the other players here.
We are down to the final two players in the series. At number two is wide receiver D.J. Moore.
Moore is probably the biggest pickup that general manager Ryan Poles made this offseason. He is one of the top wide receivers in the league. Despite having a big price tag (he accounts for $52.265 million in salary cap over the next three seasons), thanks to Poles’ smart spending the Bears had plenty of salary cap space to fit him.
Poles acquired Moore in a blockbuster deal with the Carolina Panthers. The Bears had the number one overall pick. In return for that pick, the Panthers offered Poles four draft picks. Poles, however, also insisted on having Moore included.
Poles knew that he needed a top receiver to help the development of quarterback Justin Fields. Looking at the free agent market, he did not feel that any of them could have the impact that Moore would. As a result, he would not make the deal with Carolina unless they included Moore.
Moore will be an important piece for the offense
Now Moore is tasked with being an important piece of the offense. He is likely the most important piece. Everyone claimed that the Chicago Bears needed a number one receiver. Darnell Mooney is a very good player but he just is not a number one. He would be an incredible number two, however
With Moore in the offense, the Bears have that number one. He had three consecutive seasons of 1,150+ receiving yards that ended with last season’s 888 yards. He still averaged 14.1 yards per reception so he is still a big-play receiver.
With Moore at WR1, the offense gets more settled. Mooney becomes WR2. Then Chase Claypool, who probably felt some pressure to be the top guy last year when the Bears traded for him, can settle at WR3. That is a formidable trio of receivers.
- Feed has no items.
Then add rookie Tyler Scott, a speedy receiver who is a big play waiting to happen. Moore can do wonders to help him (as well as second-year man Velus Jones) develop.
Scott has already been impressed by Moore’s work ethic and how he runs his routes. Moore will be a great influence on him.
Moore will also be great for Fields’ development. He now has a dependable number one receiver who he feels confident enough to make any kind of throw. Fields will have the confidence that Moore will make any catch and help make him look good.
Moore will show Fields how the routes should go and where he should make the throw. Fields is dying to show the NFL that he is a good passer. He showed it in college, but it doesn’t count until he does it in the pros.
Moore’s influence also reaches the tight ends. Having Moore and the other speedy receivers go downfield opens things up underneath. The Bears now have two pretty good tight ends in Cole Kmet and Robert Tonyan. They can make big plays themselves. This makes the offense a lot more potent.
Moore makes the red-zone offense very dangerous. Opposing defenses now can’t just focus on Mooney or Kmet. There is a plethora of options for Fields. The defense has to choose whether to key in on Moore or someone else. If they go with someone else, Moore can cause damage. If Moore is covered any of the other wide receivers can make the play. Additionally, the big tight ends are there as well.
This offense looks completely different with Moore. He makes everyone’s life, including offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, much easier. Last season, Getsy had to cut down the offense because of a lack of talent.
This season, with Moore at the helm, he can use the entire system. This might not be a finished product yet, but the Chicago Bears offense could improve by leaps and bounds in 2023 and Moore will be a big reason why.