What’s Going on With DJ Moore?
After this past week’s loss to the Green Bay Packers, there were plenty of storylines to dive into.
Every radio station and podcast talked about moral victories, whether we handled the clock correctly at the end of the game, if we should have run on 4th and 1, how Caleb played, etc, etc.
And while all of those are interesting topics and worth discussing, I feel the most important topic for the Chicago Bears, now and in the future, is DJ Moore.
More specifically: What is going on with DJ Moore?
I, like many, love DJ. He’s the guy most fans think of when we talk about the true turning point of this rebuild. He was the first piece we added that felt different—a guy you looked at and said, “Oh yeah, that’s a dude.” And for the first year or two, it truly felt like he was THAT DUDE. I remember being in Twitter wars with bot accounts arguing whether he or Amon-Ra was the better receiver.
Not only was DJ awesome on the field, but he was also an easy guy to root for off the field. It’s no surprise he was just nominated for Bears Man of the Year; he seems like a genuinely great person.
But since Caleb arrived, it feels like we’re seeing a new, confusing side of DJ. And no, I’m not talking about body language or any of that crap the media tries to manufacture into a big deal. I personally have no issue with how DJ carries himself—well, for the most part. What I do have an issue with—and maybe “issue” is the wrong word… eh, he’s getting paid $110 million, so let’s call it an issue—is his on-field performance.
$110 Million Question
Going into the Packers game without Rome available, it was reasonable to assume DJ would see a bulk of the targets. He’s had a volatile season, with a few highlight games sprinkled in—like the Steelers game, where he scored two touchdowns. But this felt like the one game where we should have seen a true “DJ Game.”
He’s played in this rivalry. He brings the juice. And he had two rookies and “Catch-and-Fall Kmet” competing with him for targets. That feels like a recipe for 7 catches, 100+ yards, and a touchdown if you ask me.
Instead? Try 1 catch for –4 yards.
Trying to Make Sense of This
Now, I’m no coach. But I tend to think it’s a bad look when I—yes, me, Sean—have more receiving yards on my couch, wearing a paper-cutout Bears helmet I bought on eBay for seven dollars, than our star receiver who makes enough money to fund my gambling addiction for ten lifetimes.
I don’t want this to be misconstrued. This is not a shot at DJ. It’s more so a question of what the hell is going on. I need someone more intelligent than me to explain whether this is a DJ issue, a Caleb issue, or a scheme issue.
Personally, I feel like we understand who DJ is. He’s a great YAC receiver—a Deebo-like player who is strong as hell and hard to bring down. But maybe that’s not what’s best for Ben’s scheme? Admittedly, I and every other Bears fan immediately saw DJ as Ben’s Amon-Ra in Chicago. But I think we all now realize that’s no longer the case. And it may have never been the case.
I believe the player we thought DJ would be in this offense is actually Luther Burden.
So, Now What?
This all brings us to the question that has allowed rumors to swirl: What do we do with DJ this offseason? I don’t want to get too ahead of myself—I’m enjoying this incredible run we’re on—but if the Packers game showed us a glimpse into the future, it’s likely DJ is no longer in blue and orange in 2026. Time will tell.
Regardless, I really hope something clicks for these remaining games. Because I love DJ, and nothing would make Bears fans happier than to see him thrive in this offense.
Screw it. I’m declaring Sunday a DJ Game against Cleveland.
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Categorized:Bears