The NFL trade market is heating up right before free agency starts. The Chicago Bears and the Buffalo Bills strike up a big time deal that both franchises hopes each side will benefit from. The Bills acquire wide receiver DJ Moore from the Bears along with a 5th round draft pick in 2026. Meanwhile the Bears get the Bills second round pick this April along with getting rid of Moore’s huge contract from the books. Did the Bills finally get a legit number 1 receiver since Stephon Diggs was sent packing a few seasons ago?

DJ Moore was drafted originally by the Carolina Panthers back in 2018 in the first round out of Maryland, 24th overall. Moore has played 8 seasons in the NFL – 5 with Carolina and three with the Bears. He is 28 years old. Last season he played in all 17 regular season games, caught 50 balls while tallying up 608 receiving yards, and hauling 6 touchdown passes. In 8 seasons in the NFL, Moore has caught 608 passes for 8,213 yards and has 41 receiving touchdowns. Moore has never made it to the NFL Pro-Bowl. He has racked over 1,000 receiving yards in 4 out of the 8 seasons he has played in the NFL. Last year playing in his first post-season games, in 2 games he was targeted 15 times & caught 11 balls. He had two touchdowns. In the OT game in the divisional round, it looked like he stopped his route short versus the Rams which led to Caleb Williams’ interception. Moore was part of a deal that landed the Panthers their first round quarterback in Bryce Young in a trade with the Bears. The two teams basically swapped number one picks as the Bears found their quarterback in Williams the next season after the Panthers picked Young in 2023.

The Chicago Bears had a magical season last year going deep into post-season. The Bears slayed their dragon finally beating the Packers twice in one season and one of those wins came in the post-season. Ben Johnson had done a terrific job in year one with the Bears. Finally, for the city of Chicago that has starved for a quarterback since the 1940’s when Sid Luckman played for the Bears. Chicago has seen quarterbacks but mostly they have been bad and not a franchise QB for years to come like Caleb Williams. Johnson has done wonders with Williams in only year 1 as Caleb will be in his third season in ’26. Why are the Bears trading one of Williams’ weapons away? The Bears benefited from an easy schedule last year. The team has plenty of needs on the roster. Especially on the defensive side. By trading Moore, the Bears salary cap loosens up. The Bears also released one of their stud linebackers in Tremaine Edmunds which will free up another 15 million dollars for the Bears. The Bears center, Drew Dalman, suddenly retired at the age of 27 after signing a 3 year deal to come to Chicago after playing for the Falcons. The Bears will need to address the center position. The Bears number 1 receiver is Rome Odunze. The Bears like how their other young receivers have blossomed in the NFL already with Jahdae Walker and Luther Burden III. The Bears could be shedding money off the books and collecting draft capital to pull off a big deal in the works. After making the playoffs, the Bears will differently get a tougher schedule this upcoming season. The Bears could use this available money and draft capital to plug in all the holes they have on this roster. To avoid looking like a pretender this upcoming season.

For the Bills it was another loss in heartbreaking fashion in post-season. This time it was not the Chiefs. It was the Broncos in OT in the AFC divisional round.

If Brandon Cooks comes down with this ball in OT vs the Broncos, Bills would have went to New England to play in the AFC Championship game. After that loss, the Bills owner axed their head coach in Sean McDermott. The new hire was in-house for the Bills in Joe Brady, the offensive coordinator. The Bills offense was still one of the tops in the NFL even with one of the worst receiving cores in the league. The Bills were riddled with injuries at that position. The team has counted on Keon Coleman, a 22 year old receiver, who completed his second season in the NFL from Florida State University, who the Bills selected in round two. He regressed in year 2. The Bills General Manager has tried to put a band aid on the position by gambling on average veterans which has not worked. The Bills had one legit receiver on their roster in Khalil Shakir. He thrives playing in the slot. The Bills had him doing a little bit of everything. Landing DJ Moore can put Shakir back in his comfort zone. Moore is yet another Carolina Panther connection as the Bills have feasted on that franchise’s coaches and players for several years now. Yes, Brady has worked with Moore back in their Carolina days.

The Bills are so desperate for a number one receiver you would have thought they could get Moore at a cheaper rate than giving up a 2nd round draft pick. Moore is coming off his lowest production season of his NFL career. He is 28 years of age and now will cost the Bills 24.5 million on the salary cap. Which the Bills are not in good shape with the salary cap. The Bills have plenty of their own free agents which they would like to bring a few of those guys back. If this deal works out, Moore is under contract through the 2029 season. I still would like the Bills to add another solid playmaker to the mix to go along with Moore and Shakir. I’d like to see the Bills bring back their two offensive linemen who will be testing the free agent market in center Connor McGovern and guard David Edwards. The Bills offensive line the last few years have been a staple of this team. The protection of Josh Allen is the most important thing. Plus, the line created holes for James Cook who won the league’s rushing title last year. The Bills GM, Brandon Beane, will have his work cut out for him this off-season, especially after this move by acquiring Moore from the Bears. The Bills still need defensive reinforcements for a new scheme they are putting down this upcoming season. Adding Moore will create more explosive plays the Bills lacked last season. Ben Johnson’s offense is run heavy at times with the two headed monster they have had at the running back position. The Bears have plenty of weapons all over the field which could have resulted in a down year for Moore stats-wise. In Buffalo it could be a total different story for Moore because right now he is the best receiver the team has. The Bills still have plenty of weapons with their tight ends and running backs. With Moore, defensive teams have to know where he is at all times. His addition gives Khalil Shakir less attention which could pay off in many ways. Joe Brady, like a Johnson in Chicago, has clever ways in the offensive scheme to use all his weapons. Right now I hate this move only for the money it will cost the Bills. This move is good for the Bears. I need to see another solid receiver option for the Bills this off-season while making sure that O-line does not suffer because of adding a high price receiver. This is a trade that could work out for both the Bears and Bills.