Caleb Williams DJ Moore Chemistry Connection Bears Trade Rumors
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Bears quarterback Caleb Williams.
Concerns have emerged about the on-field chemistry between Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and wide receiver DJ Moore amid speculation that Moore could be on his way out of Chicago during the 2026 NFL offseason.
Moore’s future with the Bears has become a major talking point in the six weeks since their 2025 season came to an end with a loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round of the playoffs. He finished his most recent campaign with career lows in catches (50) and receiving yards (682) and is set to carry a $28.5 million cap hit in 2026.
Moore also seemed to make a critical error in the loss to the Rams when he ran a route differently than Williams anticipated in a key overtime moment, a miscommunication that resulted in Williams throwing an interception and the Rams sealing their victory.
Turns out, others around the league believe that the disconnect between Williams and Moore runs much deeper than just one play, as The Athletic’s Dan Wiederer reported.
“One opposing coach, who likens Moore to Deebo Samuel, sensed on tape that Moore and Williams didn’t have a strong connection,” Wiederer wrote. “That chemistry has not looked as successful as the link between Williams and Rome Odunze.”
“Added another league source: ‘It’s clear to me Caleb doesn’t have a ton of trust in DJ. I don’t think DJ has lost a step or anything like that. All the physical ability is still there. But at times, that’s what it boils down to. If your quarterback, for whatever reason, doesn’t have that trust, there becomes a disconnect.'”
‘Significant Outside Interest’ Anticipated in DJ Moore
The Bears are not guaranteed to trade Moore by any means in 2026. His offensive role has gradually diminished since his career-best 2023 season in Chicago, but the team has also added several high-end pass-catchers since then, including Keenan Allen, Odunze, Luther Burden III and Colston Loveland — their 2025 first-round selection.
The Bears also have options for lowering Moore’s team-high cap hit in 2026, such as a restructure that would clear $15.5 million in space; though, that route would push more money into future years and make it more difficult to move on from Moore in 2027.
If the Bears open up the phone lines on Moore, though, they may receive a flood of calls.
“Some anticipate significant outside interest in the veteran receiver, estimating that a fourth-round pick or a conditional third could be more than enough to satisfy the Bears, particularly once A.J. Brown’s future in Philadelphia becomes clearer,” Wiederer wrote.
“Said one source: ‘If you’re in the A.J. Brown market and Philly moves him but you’re a team that loses out, DJ feels like a pretty comfortable fallback.'”
Bears Evasive About DJ Moore’s Future at NFL Combine
Despite opportunities, the Bears did nothing to clear up questions about Moore’s future with the team when asked about him at last week’s 2026 NFL Combine in Indianapolis.
Bears head coach Ben Johnson and general manager Ryan Poles spoke highly of Moore when speaking with reporters, but neither one was willing to commit to Moore’s future in Chicago — even when Poles received a point-blank question about whether he would occupy the Bears’ 2026 roster in an interview with ESPN Chicago’s Marc Silverman.
“It’s hard to tell right now,” Poles told Silverman. “We’re trying to put all these pieces together. Obviously, we have some cap constraints. We’re over right now; we’ve got to get under. There’s some things we can do, there’s combinations of things we can do.
“I will say this is when we get into some of those really difficult decisions where you’ve got to take the emotions out of it and put your business hat on. And it stinks when you win and guys step up, like DJ, and create these really unbelievable moments that you’ll never forget and then, the next thing you know, asking yourself if they’re going to be on the team or not is really tough.”