Bears general manager Ryan Poles’ son Mason was not happy he traded DJ Moore.
His extended family — Poles is from Western New York — was thrilled he dealt the receiver to their beloved Bills.
There’s nothing the GM could do about either reaction — though Moore told the younger Poles to show his dad some mercy.
“It was cool DJ sent him a video telling him not to be mad at dad — ‘It’s part of the business,’” Poles said Thursday.
The GM has often called Moore one of his favorite players. Two years ago, he gave Moore a four-year, $110 million extension that technically kicked in Wednesday. How, then, did Moore go from a building block to trade bait — he landed the Bears a second-round pick — so quickly?
The short answer: Luther Burden happened. The Bears drafted the Missouri receiver 39th overall last year only after Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson was taken one spot ahead of him. The Bears thought he’d be drafted much earlier.
“That’s why you follow the draft board,” Poles said. “I did not expect Luther Burden to be where he was, and he showed up and showed some big-time flashes. Every time that dude touches the ball, special things can happen.”
Having tight end Colston Loveland and receiver Rome Odunze, first-round picks the last two years, gave Poles another reason to move Moore rather than pay his $24.5 million cap hit this year.
“There’s a financial piece of it,” Poles said, “but you’re also looking at the room.”
Notes
• Tackle Jedrick Wills, who signed with the Bears on Thursday, spent last year out of football to recover from a leg injury.
“Changed my perspective on the game,” he said. “I feel like I missed it more than usual.”
Poles is excited to put the former first-round pick under the tutelage of his offensive line coaches.
“We think there is a connection there between our coaches and him,” he said.
• Poles called Drew Dalman’s retirement unexpected but said he’d leave the public explanation to the center.
• The Bears re-signed guard Jordan McFadden, who started in the playoff loss to the Rams.
• Former Bears tight end Durham Smythe signed a one-year deal to rejoin former offensive coordinator Declan Doyle in Baltimore.
• Poles was visibly frustrated when asked about the NFL’s decision to not give the Bears two third-round draft picks as compensation for losing assistant GM Ian Cunningham to the Falcons — but otherwise declined comment.