New Evidence Shows the Bears Trading DJ Moore Resulted in a Landslide Victory

It's only been one month since the Bears traded Moore, and it's already aged like fine wine.

Jan 10, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore (2) reacts after making a first down catch against the Green Bay Packers during the first half of an NFC Wild Card Round game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

Honestly, I was previously against the Bears trading DJ Moore. However, that was when I assumed they would be forced into a corner and have to give him up for pennies on the dollar. Their back was against the wall when it came to the salary cap, and getting his deal off the books saved a healthy chunk of change. I thought he was going to fetch a late-round pick (or even a late-round pick swap) in a cap-saving move.

When I found out they traded him to Buffalo, my initial thought was disappointment. Then we learned the compensation they received in return for him, and my feelings immediately changed. Drastically. I was shocked that they were able to land a second-round pick by only giving up Moore and a fifth-round pick.

I then thought, 'Well, okay. They must've eaten some of his contract to pull that one off.' That was the reason they were pulling the trigger on the move in the first place, after all.

NOPE. The Bills took on his entire remaining contract (they since restructured it to provide some cap relief in 2026, but that has no impact on Chicago). That's the main aspect of the deal that I couldn't fathom. It turns out, I wasn't alone in that regard. An NFL exec spoke to The Athletic's Mike Sando and lambasted Buffalo for the decision. They believed that Moore had a strong chance of getting cut if the trade didn't happen.

Today we analyze the #NFL moves that happened, some that did not & others that might still … for every AFC team pic.twitter.com/E6jCOkbKgJ

— Mike Sando (@SandoNFL) April 2, 2026

Honestly, I'm not sure about that. The Bears needed to find a trade partner for Moore because cutting him would've incurred a massive dead cap hit that wouldn't even have provided any relief.

I also find it hard to believe that the Bills gave up as much as they did without any competition. In fact, there were even rumblings of the Patriots being a logical landing spot only one day before the deal was finalized (which could've been a genius negotiating tactic on Chicago's part).

With that said, if an NFL exec is under that belief, then it must hold some weight. At the very least, it's an indication of how the trade is viewed around the league. It was a downright fleece. One that only became more impressive with the other pass-catcher trades that occurred since.

Four days later, the Colts traded Michael Pittman Jr., who is six months younger than Moore and coming off a significantly more productive season, to the Steelers. All they received in return was a sixth-round selection (pick 214), and they still had to give up a seventh-rounder (pick 230). A late-round pick swap.

Did they back themselves against the wall by re-signing Alec Pierce, and need to find a way out? Sure. The Bears were in a far more precarious cap situation, though. They still received much more in return for a relatively similar player (Moore is better... but not that much better).

Meanwhile, the NFL's most recent blockbuster trade also made the Bears' decision look better in hindsight. The Dolphins received an absolute haul for Jaylen Waddle, who is also on a similar wavelength as Moore (while being one year younger). They received a first-round selection (30th pick) and third-round selection (94th pick) and moved down 19 spots in the fourth round. Solid compensation.

The hidden aspect of the Waddle deal was that they incurred a $26.3 million dead cap hit in 2026 (which is a clear tank year for Miami). That's a significant aspect of the trade, and that explains why they got so much in return for his services. It's difficult to gauge just how much capital that discrepancy (with the Bills absorbing Moore's entire contract) accounts for, but it's far from insignificant.

Moore is still a good player. I think he's got plenty of gas left in the tank, and he landed in a great situation with Buffalo. If there's anyone who should be able to turn back his clock, it would be Josh Allen.

However, he was never going to live up to the deal he signed with Chicago. He was an expensive luxury in a crowded receiver room. Factoring in the compensation and how much the Bills will be paying him over the next four years, it's difficult to view the trade as anything other than a landslide victory for Chicago.