NFL free agency is two weeks away, but that hasn't stopped Chicago Bears fans from wondering about DJ Moore's future in the Windy City. The veteran wide receiver's performance last season didn't match his contract value, and given the Bears' surplus of wideout talent, fans feel that Moore is the most expendable piece on the roster.
As much as he'd love to keep everybody in town and add even more firepower, that's not how the salary cap works. That's why Bears general manager Ryan Poles may have admitted that Moore's days in the Windy City are coming to an end.
“We want (DJ) here. We think highly of him," Poles said, via ESPN's Courtney Cronin." But this is the time now where we have to look at all the scenarios that will allow us to put the best team out there... He’s a guy we want here, but we have to look at all the scenarios."
Although Poles' comments don't guarantee a split, especially with his admission that the NFL scouting combine could give him some clarity, it sure sounds like the Bears will have an answer about Moore's future sooner rather than later.
Bears Must Decide if DJ Moore Is Staying or Leaving ASAP
Moore still has four seasons remaining on his contract, so no one would blame the Bears if they wanted to be patient with their decision. On the other hand, as previously mentioned, free agency begins with the tampering period on March 9, so it might be wiser for Chicago to have everything straightened out before then.
After all, the Bears are in a tough financial situation. According to OverTheCap, the team is $4.15 million over the salary cap. Meanwhile, they can free $16.5 million by trading Moore right now or $24.5 million with a post-June 1 designation, so he's a no-brainer salary cap casualty in Chicago.
WR-needy teams like the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, and Miami Dolphins could be potential landing spots. That's without mentioning contenders like the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos, who might be tempted to pull off a trade after coming close to Super Bowl glory.
With the Bears needing to address their secondary, pass rush, and offensive line, it's easy to see why any financial savings would be quite helpful. That's doubly true if they can be created before free agency begins, as Poles would be able to hit the ground running rather than play catch-up with the other Super Bowl contenders.
Of course, a sooner-than-expected split would have nothing to do with Moore as a player and more to do with a sky-high salary combined with his aging.
He failed to live up to the hype that surrounded him once the Bears hired head coach Ben Johnson, hauling in 50 catches on 85 targets for 682 yards and six scores and turning 15 carries into 79 yards and a touchdown. It was the second straight year that his numbers dropped, and the last thing the Bears would want is for that trend to continue while he carries a $28.5 million cap hit next season.
More than that, the Bears might be one of the few teams in the league that can actually afford to part ways with such a gifted playmaker. They have three budding stars in Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, and Colston Loveland, all of whom have shown elite potential and strong chemistry with quarterback Caleb Williams.
A fresh start could help Moore get his career back on track, while the Bears can use the financial relief that comes with parting ways with him. There's only so much money to spread around, and it's in Poles' best interest to end the situation A.S.A.P. if he wants to make his offseason planning a lot easier.