While DJ Moore eagerly anticipates the arrival of the Chicago Bears’ future quarterback, there’s a touch of melancholy in the air for the wide receiver as he bids farewell to Justin Fields, who’s no longer part of the club.
During an appearance on 670 The Score’s Mully and Haugh show (beginning at the 1:30 mark), Moore expressed sentiments shared by many Bears fans, stating that “nobody wanted” Fields to be traded.
Despite Fields’ departure, the Bears made a significant acquisition in Keenan Allen through a trade with the Los Angeles Chargers. Allen, who boasted 108 receptions and 1,243 yards last season, adds considerable firepower to the Bears’ offense. Moore also weighed in on Allen’s arrival and its potential impact on his own performance:
“It doesn’t really matter to me,” Moore remarked, as reported by Kevin Patra of NFL.com. “I know we’ve both talked about how we’re going to complement each other. So I’m just looking forward to that. It might be a race to 1,000 (yards), but that’s just a friendly competition. At the end of the day, if we’re winning, whoever is catching the ball, I don’t really care.”
While Moore admitted to not closely following the pre-draft workouts for the top quarterbacks, he shared his expectations for Caleb Williams if he becomes Chicago’s pick:
“I hope he just comes in and gets ready to work,” Moore expressed during the interview (beginning at the 6:15 mark). “You can’t worry about the legacy of Justin Fields. You got to go out there and worry (about your own thing).”
The Bears securing the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft seemed to foreshadow the end of Fields’ tenure in Chicago. That prophecy came to fruition on March 16 when the 25-year-old was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 2025 conditional sixth-round pick.
Fields showed consistent improvement throughout his time in Chicago. Last season, he threw for a career-high 2,562 yards and 16 touchdowns in 13 starts. His 1,143 rushing yards in 2021 ranked second in NFL history for a single season by a quarterback, trailing only Lamar Jackson’s 2019 MVP season (1,206 yards).
Williams emerges as the clear frontrunner for the top pick. The 2022 Heisman winner boasts impressive statistics, having thrown for 8,170 yards and 72 touchdowns in 26 games over the past two seasons at USC.
Should Williams land in Chicago, he’ll step into an advantageous scenario. The Bears’ offensive line ranked among the top five in pass-block and run-block win rates last season, according to ESPN.com.
Moore has achieved the 1,000-yard milestone four times in the past five years, including a career-best 1,364 yards in 2023.
