DJ Moore to Bills: Impact on Bears free agency, draft, more

We’re less than a week away from the start of the league year, and the Buffalo Bills are already working to address one of their biggest needs. On Thursday, the Bills finalized a trade with the Chicago Bears for wide receiver DJ Moore, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The agreement will not become official until the start of the league on March 11, but the teams have agreed to terms. The Bills will also receive a 2026 fifth-round pick, while Buffalo is sending its 2026 second-round pick to the Bears (No. 60).

The starters mark the first significant acquisition since new coach Joe Brady was promoted from offensive coordinator on Jan. 27, and also provides a new WR1 for quarterback Josh Allen — who has targeted wide receivers at a declining rate since 2020.

For Moore, a change of scenery will come after the lowest production of his career — 50 receptions and 682 yards, though he still managed six touchdowns. The 24th pick by the Panthers in the 2018 draft out of Maryland will join the third team of his career, but he is familiar with Brady, who thrived under him for two seasons in Carolina.

What does the addition mean for Buffalo and has the team given up too much? Can Chicago now set its sights on a top free agent? ESPN Buffalo Bills reporter Alaina Getzenberg, Chicago Bears reporter Courtney Cronin, NFL analyst Seth Walder and NFL national correspondent Dan Graziano break down the trade.

How will Moore fit in with the Bills, and how does his relationship with Brady affect things?

The Bills know exactly what they’re getting in Moore because Brady was their leader in Carolina for two of the best seasons of Moore’s career (2020-21). He topped 1,150 receiving yards in both seasons.

Moore steps into the role of Buffalo’s No. 1 receiver and also offers a different skill set than some of the other players in the room. Moore has speed and the ability to create separation and stretch the field. While the Bills had the lowest average target depth in the league last year (9.2), Moore is one of five players to have more than 50 punts on 20 air yards over the past five seasons.

Moore’s experience, consistency and ability to stay on the field — he is the only receiver in the league to appear in 17 games in each of the past five seasons — will also be beneficial for Allen. The quarterback has worked with inconsistent receivers over the past two years.

At the combine, Bills president of football operations and general manager Brandon Beane said they are always looking for speed and versatility at receiver. So, the Bills invested in a reliable option who possesses both qualities. — Getzenberg

Will this addition help the Bills get over the hump in 2026?

There is no doubt that Moore immediately improved this offense and the wide receiver space. Buffalo gave up a valuable second-round pick (the team has seven picks) in a year in which the team is undergoing a change in defensive scheme and has some other significant needs to address, especially at pass rushing.

There is more work for the Bills to do in terms of clearing cap space but investing at the wide receiver position is something the team needs to do this offseason. Moore has the skills to be a positive addition to this offense, but whether he is the right player to invest heavily in will be a question heading into the season. — Getzenberg

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve heard about the deal?

The part about the Bills guaranteeing $15.5 million of Moore’s salary in 2028 — the season in which he turns 31 — is really surprising.

As far as I can see in his contract, Moore did not have any sort of no-trade clause that would have given him the leverage to reject the trade or force Buffalo to offer anything extra to get it done. It certainly signals to Moore, Allen and the fan base that the Bills are committed to the player and believe he is a key part of the long-term answer.

But it won’t do anything to mitigate criticism that this represented overpayment for the Bills, or that they were desperate for a true No. 1 wide receiver. — Graziano

With Drew Dahlman retiring, does this free up the Bears to pursue an elite free agent position?

Taking Dallman and Moore off the books creates a lot of salary cap space for a Bears team that was in the red before free agency, and Chicago could still get $15 million if linebacker Tremaine Edmunds is released. That kind of financial flexibility would allow the Bears to chase top names on the free agent position market, such as Tyler Linderbaum, who league sources believe will be the highest-paid interior offensive lineman on a deal reaching $22 million annually.

The Bears attach great importance to the central position. That’s why they paid a premium to acquire Dalman last offseason (3 years, $42 million), and it has paid dividends for Caleb Williams and the offense with increased play-action usage and Williams getting under center 49% of the time during his second season.

Chicago needs to fix its porous pass rush and solidify a critical spot along the offensive line. The Bears will be armed with cap space and an additional second-round pick (they now have four draft picks in the top 89 of the draft order) to meet those needs. — Cronin

He plays

Stephen A. reacts. With the trade of DJ Moore to the Bills

Stephen A. reacts. Smith along with trading wide receiver DJ Moore from Chicago to Buffalo.

Has Luther Borden’s rookie season made Moore expendable?

It wasn’t just Borden showing up. Colston Loveland’s dominant rookie season — a team-leading 713 rushing yards — cemented the first-round tight end as a key piece of the passing attack. With Borden, Loveland and Roma Udunze on board, Moore has become a luxury on the team as his role has changed since his move to Chicago in 2023.

In 2024, Moore had 102 targets on throws of 10 yards or fewer, second-most among wide receivers behind Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase. Moore was used as a run receiver after the catch. Those targets dropped significantly for Moore in 2025 when he had 42 passes of 10 yards or fewer.

Despite being on the receiving end of some memorable moments of the season, like his 42-yard touchdown run in overtime against Green Bay on Dec. 20, Moore’s relationship with Williams has not been strong in their second season together. The 28-year-old receiver was targeted on 7% fewer routes. — Cronin

What could the Bears do with an additional second-round pick?

The Bears are in a prime position to either pick up a package for a veteran in a blockbuster trade (someone like Maxx Crosby?) or use the additional second player from this trade (No. 60) to continue building out the defense.

In the deep safety category, USC’s Kamari Ramsey could slot into a lineup that doesn’t currently have a starting safety under contract for next season. If the team is comfortable keeping its three picks in the top 64, there will be key defensive prospects available — and addressing the hole in the secondary is key. — Miller

How do you evaluate this step?

The Bills got a D and the Bears got an A. Moore’s stock has fallen sharply since signing an extension with Chicago that averages $27.5 million per year. The Bills, though, will only get a slightly cheaper contract: $90 million over four years ($22.5 million annually). With all the guarantees, this would be either a one-year deal for $40 million, a two-year deal for $64.5 million, or a three-year deal for $73.5 million. Not only that, the Bills gave up roughly the equivalent of a late third-round pick to do so.

You can understand how the Bills got to this point. They have an all-around quarterback but have failed to surround him with enough receiving talent in the past and wanted to correct that problem. And there’s some history here: Moore played with Brady in Carolina in 2020 and 2021 and was fairly productive with him. In the end, I think the Bills’ wide-ranging instinct is correct. But paying real capital for the right to acquire what could be an expensive contract and adding additional collateral is far from optimal. Read the full score here. — Walder

What are the implications of fantasy?

In Buffalo, Moore fills a need as a size target. Moore, who scored 50 of 83 targets for 682 yards and six scores in 2025, will see a bump in usage with the Bills, using his physical attributes to play through contact while separating from the ball.

Back in Chicago, we know that Burden showed flashes of his elite playmaking ability late in his rookie season. Burden, who had his breakout game in Week 17 versus the 49ers (27.8 points), is electric and easy to fit into Ben Johnson’s system. This is all-rounder speed and vision of the ball carrier in space.

Borden’s role will rise in 2026, joining Udunzi and Loveland as Williams’ top targets. We could see any of these three players step up from week to week depending on the game plan and/or the opponent. But as we sit here now in March, Loveland will be in my TE1 ranks, while I’ll pencil in Odunze as a mid-tier WR2 with Burden as a rookie WR3 who has the potential to post some WR1 weeks. — Bowen

Read Bowen’s full breakdown and get more fantasy posts here.