All eyes were on veteran wide receiver DJ Moore ahead of the Chicago Bears' showdown against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. With second-year wideout Rome Odunze sidelined with a stress fracture in Week 14, Bears fans were hoping that Moore could give the Windy City a WR1-like performance amid a season where he's disappointed the fan base more often than not.
Moore, an eight-year vet, entered Sunday's showdown with only 38 catches for 502 receiving yards and three touchdowns, and didn't leave the 28-21 loss with much more. In fact, his yardage total dropped as he only caught one of his three targets for a four-yard loss. It was a putrid performance from someone whom the Bears needed to step up, leaving fans with every right to feel let down.
As such, it might be time for general manager Ryan Poles to seriously rethink Moore's future with the franchise as the offseason nears.
Bears-DJ Moore Divorce Looks Likelier Than Ever After Sunday
Sunday's dud isn't the only reason why the Bears should consider taking Moore on a trip to Splitsville, but it certainly did add to the ever-growing case.
The former Maryland Terrapin is in his third season with the Bears as he continues to play out the four-year, $110 million extension he signed last year. It seemed like a terrific signing at the time, as Moore was coming off a campaign that saw him amass a career-high 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns on 96 catches.
He followed up that effort with a quieter 98-966-6 stat line in 2024; however, Chicagoans felt hopeful that head coach Ben Johnson's arrival would help bring Moore back to the WR1 level.
Of course, that hasn't been the case so far, further proven by another forgettable outing in Week 14. Assuming he doesn't miss another game, Moore is now on pace for an abysmal 51-651-4 stat line in 17 games, which doesn't even come close to being worth the $24.9 million cap hit he's commanding this season, according to Spotrac.
Cutties Ties with DJ Moore Will Be Easier Said Than Done
If nothing changes and Moore pushes the Bears to the point of no return, cutting ties must be on the table this offseason. Having said that, a cut is unlikely, as Spotrac lists Chicago as being nailed with a $35.4 million dead cap penalty if Moore is released before June 1, 2026, and that number only lowers to $27.4 million after that date.
Fortunately, a trade would provide the Bears with a more financially friendly option. Considering how a post-June 1 trade only results in a $4 million dead cap hit while opening $24.5 million in savings, it's easy to see why GM Poles & Co. might take their time before sending the regressing wideout packing.
The issue with that is the Bears will have to convince another team to take Moore, regardless of what a potential trend might look like. While that may have been easier a few years ago in the 28-year-old pass-catcher's prime, Moore now has back-to-back down years to his name, suggesting he's firmly on the decline rather than dealing with an outlier year. It's going to be hard to convince anyone but the most desperate teams to finalize a trade.
Hopefully, Moore finds a way to give Bears fans a reason to believe down the stretch. He's being paid too much to be benched, meaning he'll still be on the field every week as long as he's healthy. It'll be up to him to capitalize on those opportunities to help Chicago any way he can moving forward, whether that means winning games amid a playoff push or bolstering his value for an offseason trade.