The Chicago Bears have been doling out big deals left and right since last season’s trade deadline and another one could be on the way before the 2024 campaign begins in September.
Aaron Leming of Windy City Gridiron on July 18 compiled a list of the top five players the Bears could look to lock into long-term extensions ahead of next season. The first name he mentioned is that of star wide receiver DJ Moore.
Moore still has two years remaining on his current three-year, $61.9 million contract, which might render a new agreement for him now superfluous in the collective eyes of the franchise. However, because the NFL salary cap just increased by approximately $30 million per team and Minnesota Vikings wideout Justin Jefferson just set a league record for a non-QB salary of $35 million annually, the Bears may actually save a substantial amount of cash down the line by agreeing to terms with Moore in the coming weeks.
“The longer they wait, the more money it will cost the team and the more years they’ll have to guarantee him,” Leming wrote. “Ideally, both sides come to a two-to-three-year extension in the neighborhood of $28 million per year. While that might feel like a steep price, it would line him up with the second tier of elite receivers.”
Leming ultimately projected that Moore will ink a three-year contract worth $84.75 million total that includes $36 million guaranteed — a deal similar to the one Jaylen Waddle just signed with the Miami Dolphins (three years, $84.75 million with $76 million guaranteed).
DJ Moore Played Like High-End Wide Receiver During First Campaign in Chicago
GettyWide receiver DJ Moore of the Chicago Bears.
While Leming’s projection for Moore is generous, the receiver is almost certainly savvy enough to see through what Chicago would be attempting to accomplish with that type of contract at this particular juncture — securing him at a bargain because the organization projects he will be worth and/or cost more in the future.
Moore has never been a Pro Bowler, but he certainly produced a Pro Bowl-caliber season last year after the Bears traded for him with the Carolina Panthers in a deal that also brought back the first-round pick that became rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. Moore registered career highs in every major statistical category in 2023 with 96 catches for 1,364 yards and 8 TDs.
He will play next season at 27 years old and has now tallied north of 1,150 receiving yards in four of the past five years, all with average or subpar quarterbacks under center for his respective teams. If the Bears hit on Williams, the No. 1 overall selection in 2024, he will quickly develop into the best passer Moore has ever played with throughout his six-year professional career.
Beyond that, Chicago also drafted wideout Rome Odunze with the 9th overall pick and traded for six-time Pro Bowl pass-catcher Keenan Allen during the offseason. Even if Williams suffers through growing pains and/or is merely okay during his rookie campaign, Moore is set to play on the best offense he’s ever had across his NFL tenure.
DJ Moore Has Incentives to Sign New Deal With Bears Now, Also Leverage to Bargain for More Guaranteed Money
GettyChicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore.
All of that boils down to Moore likely standing on the precipice of the best season of his life ahead of a contract year. So, to Leming’s point, doing a deal now could easily benefit Chicago down the line, but Moore might ask for some concessions.
He wouldn’t have all of the leverage, as a serious injury in 2024 could alter what the Bears, or some other team, offers him down the line. But Jefferson signed a four-year contract that guaranteed him $110 million. Waddle, Leming’s extension comparison for his Moore projection, got $76 million guaranteed from Miami, which is near the entirety of his contract.
If Moore is willing to sign a three-year deal instead of a four-year contract in return for some insurance against future injuries or a downturn in production, Chicago will probably have to do better than fully guaranteeing less than half of his money.
That said, the investment would still make a good amount of sense for the Bears. As Leming pointed out, the team can frontload the extension with bonuses and keep the cap hit lower in future years as a result, which allows for more roster flexibility. Beyond that, Chicago can ensure continuity around Williams, the 22-year-old future of its franchise.
“Having Moore and Odunze locked down for the entirety of Caleb Williams’ rookie deal is about as good as it gets,” Leming wrote.
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