DJ Moore Trade: What Deal of Star WR Means for Bills and Bears in 2026 and Beyond

Chicago is sending Moore to Buffalo in exchange for mid-round draft compensation.

The Bears are trading wide receiver D.J. Moore to the Bills. | Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

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The Bill and Bears agreed to a blockbuster deal on Thursday afternoon ahead of the NFL’s new league year beginning next week.

According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, Chicago is trading wide receiver DJ Moore and a 2026 fifth-round pick to Buffalo in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick.

Moore, 28, hauled in a career-low 50 receptions for 682 yards and six touchdowns in 2025. He now heads to the Bills to become quarterback Josh Allen’s de facto No. 1 pass catcher.

Here’s what the deal means for both teams.

Bills: Josh Allen gets a No. 1 wide receiver again

Josh Allen has a No. 1 wide receiver again. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Bills have long been searching for a high-end playmaker at wide receiver since trading Stefon Diggs to the Texans two seasons ago. They now have one in Moore, who notably played under his new head coach, Joe Brady, when he was the Panthers' offensive coordinator from 2020 to '21.

Since being selected by Carolina in the first round of the 2018 draft, Moore has tallied 1,000-plus yards in four of his eight NFL campaigns while becoming a reliable target at all levels of the field for both Bryce Young in Carolina and Caleb Williams in Chicago. Now, he heads to Buffalo for a chance to help Allen and the Bills at the top of the AFC.

MORE: Updated Bears, Bills WR Depth Charts As DJ Moore Heads to Buffalo

Moore has also played in 17 games in each of the past five seasons, showing off impressive durability for a player entering his ninth year as a pro.

Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir haven’t cut it as the top options in Buffalo, but perhaps, with the addition of Moore, Buffalo can round out a successful pass-catching group to get the Bills over the hump in the AFC.

Bears: Chicago moves off a depreciating asset while opening door for Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III

Odunze was selected by the Bears in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. | David Banks-Imagn Images

Having said all of this about Moore, he’s entering his age-29 season and is due $24.5 million in cash in each of the next four years. As noted by Breer, Moore’s money in 2026 is almost all fully guaranteed, “and $15.5 million for 2027 vests next week.”

On top of this, Chicago has added two young wide receivers in Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III with top-100 picks in each of the past two drafts. Moving off of Moore saves them an abundance of cap space ahead of the new league year, while also opening up the door for their young pass catchers to build more chemistry with franchise quarterback Caleb Williams.

This one ultimately feels like a win-win for both the Bills and the Bears ahead of the 2026 season.

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