How Former Bears are Performing on Other Teams in Training Camp

The Chicago Bears underwent a fairly drastic overhaul of their roster this offseason, particularly on the defensive side. Three of their starting defensive backs last year are on other teams, all playing on one-year 'prove it' deals. Their linebacker room also saw a shakeup when the Bears released Tremaine Edmunds ahead of free agency.

Let's take a look at some of the Bears' biggest departures from this offseason and how they're doing at training camp with their new teams.

1. DJ Moore

Josh Allen, Mecole Hardman, and DJ Moor — Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen talks with wide receivers Mecole Hardman and DJ Moore. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When the Bears traded receiver DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills, it was a win for everyone involved. The Bears got a second-round pick for a player they could no longer afford, Moore got to go to another contender, and the Bills finally got quarterback Josh Allen a receiver with legit WR1 potential.

So far in training camp, Moore has lived up to that potential and more. Almost every day, the Bills' social media team is posting a new highlight reel catch by Moore, who has already become a leader in the locker room. In fact, Moore and Allen have been so good at Bills' training camp that receiver Khalil Shakir said, "Their connection has been unreal. When you watch stuff like that, it just feels fake, like how beautiful that play was."

None of this should come as a surprise to Bears fans. Moore was always tremendously popular in Chicago, and he'll forever be a legend in this city after his walk-off touchdown to beat the Green Bay Packers in Week 15, and especially after he dropped this iconic Bears-Packers rivalry quote immediately after that game.

2. Nahshon Wright

He may have led the league in takeaways in 2025, but the cold truth about Nahshon Wright's Pro Bowl season was that he lived and died on takeaways. When he wasn't intercepting passes, he could usually be seen giving up big plays down the field. This inconsistency is why the Bears let Wright walk in free agency, but there was always going to be at least one team willing to gamble on his upside, and that team was the New York Jets.

Wright signed a one-year deal with the Jets, where he's currently locked in a training camp competition with Azareye'h Thomas, a second-year player whose rookie campaign was cut short by an injury. Only one starting cornerback spot is expected to be up for grabs at this point, and Wright is making a strong case with his performance thus far.

3. Jaquan Brisker

A fan-favorite in Chicago, Brisker signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason, his hometown team. During spring OTAs, the Steelers moved Brisker all over their secondary as they tried to find the best possible fit for the fifth-year defensive back, leaving Brisker fired up in his new role.

So far there seems to be no buyer's remorse from the Steelers as Brisker has held his own in camp, even breaking up two passes and nearly pulling in a spectacular one-handed interception on Thursday. Unfortunately, Brisker joined the Steelers' long list of training camp injuries, missing the team's final practice of the week. Hopefully it's nothing serious and he'll be back on the field before long.

4. Tremaine Edmunds

While he never quite lived up to the monster four-year, $72 million contract he signed with the Bears in 2023, Edmunds was a solid contributor, nonetheless. His release in March was mostly a way to free up salary cap space, and he quickly found a new home, signing a three-year, $36 million deal with the New York Giants.

It didn't take long for Edmunds to impress his new team. Despite being just 28 years old, Edmunds is an eight-year veteran with a wealth of knowledge to offer his new teammates, especially the rookies. The No. 5 pick from the 2026 NFL draft, Arvell Reese, told Giants media on Friday, "He's a great player, a great leader." Clearly the Giants are counting on Edmunds to serve as Reese's mentor, hoping that the two-time Pro Bowler will help flatten the rookie's learning curve in the NFL.

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