DJ Moore to Bills: Impact on Bears’ free agency, draft, more

The beginning of the league 12 months is lower than per week away, and the Buffalo Bills are already addressing one among their greatest wants. On Thursday, the Payments finalized a commerce with the Chicago Bears for extensive receiver DJ Moore, sources advised ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The deal won’t be official till the beginning of the league 12 months on March 11, however the groups have agreed to the phrases. The Payments may also obtain a 2026 fifth-round decide, whereas Buffalo is sending its 2026 second-round decide to the Bears (No. 60).

The splash marks the primary vital acquisition since new head coach Joe Brady was promoted from offensive coordinator on Jan. 27, and it additionally supplies a brand new WR1 for quarterback Josh Allen — who has focused extensive receivers at a declining price since 2020.

For Moore, the change of surroundings will come after the bottom output of his profession — 50 receptions and 682 yards, though he nonetheless managed six touchdowns. The twenty fourth decide by the Panthers within the 2018 draft out of Maryland will be a part of the third crew of his profession, however he has familiarity with Brady, whom he thrived underneath for 2 seasons in Carolina.

What does the addition imply for Buffalo and did the crew surrender an excessive amount of? Can Chicago now set its sights on a high free agent? ESPN Buffalo Payments reporter Alaina Getzenberg, Chicago Bears reporter Courtney Cronin, NFL analyst Seth Walder and nationwide NFL reporter Dan Graziano break down the commerce.

How will Moore slot in with the Payments, and the way does his relationship with Brady have an effect on issues?

The Payments know precisely what they’re getting in Moore as a result of Brady was his OC in Carolina for 2 of the very best seasons of Moore’s profession (2020-21). He surpassed 1,150 receiving yards in each seasons.

Moore catapults into the function of Buffalo’s No. 1 receiver and likewise affords a unique talent set from among the different gamers within the room. Moore has velocity and the power to create separation and stretch the sphere. Whereas the Payments had the bottom common goal depth within the league final 12 months (9.2), Moore is one among 5 gamers with 50-plus catches on throws of 20-plus air yards over the previous 5 seasons.

Moore’s expertise, consistency and skill to remain on the sphere — he’s the one extensive receiver within the league to seem in 17 video games in every of the previous 5 seasons — may also turn out to be useful for Allen. The quarterback has labored with inconsistent receivers for the previous two years.

On the mix, Payments president of soccer operations and common supervisor Brandon Beane stated they’re at all times searching for velocity and flexibility at receiver. So, the Payments invested in a dependable possibility with each of these qualities. — Getzenberg

Does this addition assist the Payments recover from the hump in 2026?

There is not any query that Moore instantly improves this offense and extensive receivers room. Buffalo gave up a beneficial second-round decide (the crew has seven picks) in a 12 months the place the crew is present process a change in defensive scheme and has another vital wants to handle, particularly at go rusher.

There’s extra work for the Payments to do when it comes to clearing cap area however investing within the extensive receiver place is one thing the crew wanted to do that offseason. Moore has the talent set to be a constructive addition to this offense, however whether or not he was the best participant to speculate this extremely in can be a query going into the season. — Getzenberg

What’s essentially the most attention-grabbing factor you have heard on the deal?

The half concerning the Payments guaranteeing $15.5 million of Moore’s wage in 2028 — his age-31 season — is an actual head-scratcher.

So far as I can see in his contract, Moore did not have any form of no-trade clause that may have given him leverage to reject the deal or drive Buffalo to kick in something additional to get it achieved. It actually signifies to Moore, Allen and the fan base that the Payments are dedicated to the participant and imagine he is a key a part of the long-term reply.

But it surely will not do something to tamp down criticism that that is an overpay for the Payments, or that they had been determined for a real No. 1 extensive receiver. — Graziano

After Drew Dalman’s retirement, does this free the Bears as much as chase an elite free agent heart?

Shifting Dalman and Moore off the books creates ample wage cap area for a Bears crew that was within the purple forward of free company, and it is doable Chicago might nonetheless clear $15 million if linebacker Tremaine Edmunds is launched. That sort of economic flexibility will permit the Bears to go after the highest names on the free agent heart market, like Tyler Linderbaum, who league sources imagine would be the highest-paid inside offensive lineman with a deal north of $22 million per 12 months.

The Bears place excessive significance on the middle place. That is why they paid a premium to get Dalman final offseason (3 years, $42 million), and it paid dividends for Caleb Williams and the offense with the elevated use of play-action and Williams going underneath heart 49% of the time throughout his second season.

Chicago wants to repair its porous go rush and solidify a essential spot alongside the offensive line. The Bears can be armed with cap area and an extra second-round decide (they now have 4 draft picks within the high 89 of the draft order) to handle these wants. — Cronin

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Stephen A. reacts to DJ Moore’s commerce to Payments

Stephen A. Smith reacts to extensive receiver DJ Moore getting traded from Chicago to Buffalo.

Did Luther Burden’s rookie season make Moore expendable?

It wasn’t simply Burden’s emergence. Colston Loveland’s dominant rookie season — a team-leading 713 receiving yards — cemented the first-round tight finish as a key piece of the passing assault. With Burden, Loveland and Rome Odunze within the fold, Moore turned a luxurious on a crew the place his function had modified since he was traded to Chicago in 2023.

In 2024, Moore had 102 targets on throws of 10 yards or much less, the second most amongst extensive receivers behind the Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase. Moore was used as a run-after-catch receiver. These targets dipped considerably for Moore in 2025 when he had 42 on passes that traveled 10 yards or much less.

And regardless of being on the receiving finish of among the season’s most memorable moments, like his 42-yard walk-off landing in additional time in opposition to Inexperienced Bay on Dec. 20, Moore’s reference to Williams wasn’t as robust of their second season collectively. The 28-year-old receiver was focused on 7% fewer routes. — Cronin

What might the Bears do with the additional second-round decide?

The Bears are in prime place to both package deal picks for a veteran in a blockbuster commerce (somebody like Maxx Crosby?) or use the additional second-rounder from this commerce (No. 60) to proceed constructing out the protection.

In a deep security class, USC’s Kamari Ramsey might step right into a lineup that presently would not have a beginning security underneath contract for subsequent season. If the crew is snug protecting its three picks within the high 64, there can be core defensive prospects obtainable — and addressing a gap within the secondary is vital. — Miller

How would you grade this transfer?

The Payments get a D and the Bears get an A. Moore’s inventory has fallen precipitously since signing an extension with Chicago that averaged $27.5 million yearly. Regardless of that, the Payments can be taking up solely a barely cheaper contract: $90 million over 4 years ($22.5 million APY). With all of the ensures, it will principally be both a one-year deal for $40 million, a two-year deal for $64.5 million or a three-year deal for $73.5 million. Not solely that, however the Payments gave up what equates roughly to a late-third-round decide to do it.

You possibly can perceive how the Payments acquired thus far. They’ve an all-world quarterback however didn’t encompass him with sufficient receiving expertise previously and wished to rectify that difficulty. And there is some historical past right here: Moore performed for Brady in Carolina in 2020 and 2021 and was pretty productive with him. In the end, I feel the Payments’ intuition at extensive receiver is right. However paying actual draft capital for the best to tackle what might be an overpriced contract and add additional ensures is way from optimum. Read the full grade here. — Walder

What are the fantasy ramifications?

In Buffalo, Moore fills a necessity as a quantity goal. Moore, who caught 50 of 83 targets for 682 yards and 6 scores in 2025, will see a bump in utilization with the Payments, utilizing his bodily traits to play by way of contact whereas creating separation to the ball.

Again in Chicago, we learn about Burden displaying flashes of his high-level playmaking skill late in his rookie season. Burden, who had the breakout recreation in Week 17 versus the 49ers (27.8 factors), is an electrical mover and a simple slot in Ben Johnson’s system. That is the multilevel velocity and the ball provider imaginative and prescient in area.

Burden’s function will elevate in 2026, becoming a member of Odunze and Loveland as the highest targets for Williams. We might see any of those three gamers taking the lead week-to-week relying on the sport plan and/or opponent. However as we sit right here now in March, Loveland can be in my TE1 ranks, whereas I will pencil in Odunze as a mid-tier WR2 with Burden as an upside WR3 who has the power to submit some WR1 weeks. — Bowen

Learn Bowen’s full breakdown and get extra fantasy buzz here.