The Chicago Bears have agreed to trade wide receiver DJ Moore, one of the more productive pass catchers in the NFC over the past three seasons, to the Buffalo Bills. Both sides finalized the deal Thursday, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirming the agreement.
The trade cannot be processed officially until the new NFL league year begins on March 11. Chicago will receive mid-round draft pick compensation in return. The 28-year-old Moore, who arrived in Chicago as part of the haul that brought Caleb Williams to the Bears, now heads to Buffalo to play alongside quarterback Josh Allen.
Chicago Bears, DJ Moore
Jun 3, 2025; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore (2) speaks during minicamp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Why a $28.5 Million Cap Figure Made Moore Expendable in Chicago
Bears general manager Ryan Poles had publicly stated his preference to retain Moore at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. Poles told reporters:
“We want him here. We think highly of him. He’s a great teammate. He has been productive pretty consistently. I have nothing but great things to say about him.”
Moore’s 2026 cap figure sat at $28.5 million, the largest single cap charge on Chicago’s entire roster. Trading him before June 1 clears $16.5 million in space heading into free agency.
Moore’s deal runs $110 million over four years, an extension he signed at the start of the 2024 season. He is set to earn $23 million in 2026 and $24.5 million in 2027.
Josh Allen’s weapons now include:
🏈DJ Moore
🏈Khalil Shakir
🏈James Cook
🏈Dalton Kincaid
🏈Dawson Knox https://t.co/a23aR9gAZM
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 5, 2026
He finished 2025 with 50 catches for 682 yards and six touchdowns. It was a quieter year by his standards, though he still delivered some of the Bears’ signature moments: an overtime touchdown reception against the Green Bay Packers in the regular season that was named the NFL’s 2025 Next Gen Stats Moment of the Year, and a touchdown catch against the same Packers in the NFC Wild Card Round.
The Bears’ receiver room had quietly grown around him. Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, and tight end Colston Loveland had each established roles in Ben Johnson’s offense. Paying Moore $28.5 million while those three develop no longer made practical sense. Chicago still has needs at center, left tackle, defensive tackle, defensive end, and safety going into free agency.
Moore and Joe Brady Reunite as Buffalo Finally Lands a True No. 1 Receiver
Buffalo Bills, DJ Moore, Chicago Bears
Jan 10, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore (2) makes the eventual game winning touchdown catch against the Green Bay Packers during the second half of an NFC Wild Card Round game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images
The Bills had been without a reliable top wideout since trading veteran Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans in April 2024. Their leading receiver in 2025 was Khalil Shakir, who finished with 72 catches for 719 yards, solid but not the kind of production a quarterback of Josh Allen’s level typically has at the top of his depth chart.
Moore has four career 1,000-yard seasons and is only one year removed from catching 96 passes. His arrival also marks a reunion with first-year Bills head coach Joe Brady, who served as an offensive assistant with the Carolina Panthers during Moore’s time there from 2020 to 2021.
In those two seasons under Brady’s offense, Moore posted back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns, combining for 2,350 receiving yards and eight touchdowns over 32 games.
As Schefter noted on X, Allen now has Moore, Shakir, running back James Cook, tight end Dalton Kincaid, and tight end Dawson Knox in his passing arsenal.
Moore turns 29 in April. He has never appeared in a Super Bowl, and the Bills have been knocking on that door for years under Allen, the reigning NFL MVP.
Will this finally close the gap between Buffalo and the league’s elite? On paper at least, the offense now has no obvious weak point.