Bear Digest

What DJ Moore Trade Does for Bears GM Ryan Poles Heading Into Draft

Ryan Poles is building quite the reputation now for trading after a slow start to his career and this latest move with DJ Moore looks like a masterstroke.
Gene Chamberlain|
Ryan Poles' wheeling and dealing opens up many options now for the draft, or even for more trades.
Ryan Poles' wheeling and dealing opens up many options now for the draft, or even for more trades. | David Banks-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

While not unexpected, the Bears' trading of DJ Moore to regain cap space does cause a problem.

It also presents GM Ryan Poles with plenty of opportunities both on draft day or even before then.

Coach Ben Johnson is now down one wide receiver and they're not  really in a position to replace him in free agency unless they sacrifice elsewhere. The need for center, tackle, defensive line, linebacker and safety help would take priority.

Poles is making a reputation as a much better trader these days than when he was dealing for Canadian wide receivers Chase Claypool and N'Keal Harry. This trade of DJ Moore and a fifth-round pick gives them the $16 million in total cap relief needed, but also second-round draft capital they could use or deal away for talent.

Movin' on up

With Buffalo's second-round pick at No. 60, the Bears now have four of the top 89 picks in this draft, although all four are from 25 to 89. The result of the trade with the loss of a fifth-rounder means they have a huge gap from 192 in Round 4 until 238 in Round 7. It's not the end of the world, as they  didn't get a down out of their fifth-round player from last year, Zah Frazier. Fifth rounds don't make a draft, or at least they better not.

However, with so many picks between 25 and 89, they could easily move up in Round 1 if Poles sees a pass rusher or run stopper he wants and can't get at 25. They wouldn't be hurt as much now by giving up a second-round pick to move up.

The Drafttek.com value chart, originally devised by Bill Belichick, shows the Bears could expect to move up anywhere from 25th to 16th in Round 1 if they wanted to give up the pick acquired from Buffalo, No. 60 overall, along with their own first-rounder. They could go up to 15th by dealing away their own second-round pick, No. 57 overall.

Their first-round pick is worth 720  points on the value chart and the 57th is 330 while the 60th is worth 330.

Poles could leapfrog plenty of Round 1 teams who might otherwise be looking to take an edge rusher they like by using that second-rounder they acquired or even the third-rounder at 89.

Another thing they can do with their current setup is use the 89th pick and another second-rounder to move up in Round 2 if necessary.

Second-round master

Another draft end of this is how effective they've been in Round 2. Both Ozzy Trapilo and Luther Burden III came to them in Round 2, as well as Shemar Turner. They drafted Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker then. It's a good place to find top talent at a lower rate. Their history says they don't know what to do with third-round picks, anyway. Zacch Pickens, Velus Jones and Kiran Amegadjie testify to this.

Second rounds are good for value because of the lower cost for top talent.

The second round is usually where the  best safeties often can be found, and the Bears need help there with no players under contract at the position.

At the combine, Poles didn't want to get specific whn asked whether there was more edge talent or defensive tackle talent.

"But as it sits right now, I think the edge is deeper than the interior," he said.

So he takes the tackle in Round 1 and goes for an end in Round 2 after the tackle supply has been exhausted. Maybe they even use a third-round pick in a trade to move up higher in the order for a better pass rusher in Round 2.

Another thing to keep in mind about their current draft setup is there's always the possibility they acquire another third-round pick for this year and one for 2027 if the league decides to go by the spirit of the Rooney Rule instead of a mean-spirited legal loophole regarding Ian Cunningham. Don't count on that, as it would mean the league actually means what it says about trying to support minority hiring. But it is a possibility.

So this slate of draft picks the Bears have sets them up well for several things in the draft.

Maybe even a receiver replacement

It also can mean a better chance to package picks in trades to acquire veteran players they might need on defense.

As for the receiver gap they now have without Moore, it explains why they had shown interest in receivers at the combine and Senior Bowl. Texas receiver KC Concepcion is one several receivers who said they've spoken with the Bears.

The missing element the Bears have in their offense is that receiver with world-class speed. They have a fast group, but not the Jameson Williams lid-lifting type they need to totally open up the secondary.

Mississippi State's Brenen Thompson was the fastest man at the  combine in 4.26 seconds and has been projected as a late Day 2 or early Day 3 player. Perhaps the Bears position themselves now for someone that fast in the draft.

USC's Makai Lemon, a possible late first-round pick, is Mel Kiper's third best receiver on the big board and said he'd love the chance to play again with Caleb Williams.

The Bears might already have an option for that position in Jahdae Walker, anyway.

Regardless, the deal simply makes draft day that much more intriguing from a Bears standpoint and gives them the chance for numerous possibilities.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.