Bills' DJ Moore Trade Gets Harsh Re-Grade Before 2026 Season

The Buffalo Bills trade for DJ Moore continues to face criticism as the 2026 season approaches.

Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore warms up prior to the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In need of help and wide receiver, the Buffalo Bills made a big trade this offseason when they sent a second-round pick to the Chicago Bears in exchange for DJ Moore and a fifth round pick. Moore was once one of the more prominent players in the NFL, but he's had declining stats over the past two seasons which led to plenty of criticism of Buffalo's decision to bring him in.

It's not uncommon for such opinions to change as time passes, especially when a team is able to make more additions that round out the roster. That being the case, Bleacher Reports Moe Moton decided to revisit some of the biggest moves by NFL teams this offseason. The first one he dove into was Buffalo's acquisition of Moore, but unfortunately, for the Bills, he still gives this move a pretty harsh grade.

Moton gave the Bears of B+ for the move, saying they added premium draft capital for a declining player. For the Bills, he gave them a C, believing that they overpaid for a player who is trending in the wrong direction.

"Even with quarterback Josh Allen playing at an MVP-Pro Bowl level, the Buffalo Bills haven't had a pass-catcher rack up more than 821 receiving yards since 2023," Moton wrote.

"The Bills needed to bolster their wide receiver group, but they did so at a costly price for a player who hasn't eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards since 2023. That said, Moore could be Buffalo's lead pass-catcher and brings much-needed speed to the team's aerial attack. Yet his receiving yard totals have been on the decline over the last two years."

Moton did say that Moore spent the past two years working with Caleb Williams, who struggled with accuracy. Perhaps playing alongside Josh Allen will help him return to the form we saw during the 2023 campaign.

Despite criticism, Bills have faith in DJ Moore

Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The Bills aren't concerning themselves with the opinions of those who are outside of the organization. Instead, they decided to go after Moore due to his fit in Joe Brady's system.

They know Moore fits because Brady was his offensive coordinator for two seasons while Moore was playing for the Carolina Panthers. The wide receiver recorded more than 1,100 yards receiving in each of those two years, and Brady believes he could have similar success in Buffalo.

The head coach isn't the only one excited about Moore's arrival, with Josh Allen praising the veteran wide receiver for his speed and smoothness while running routes during their workouts together this offseason. If Brady and Allen prove to be correct in their assessment on Moore, this grade could look far different after the season.