One of the biggest moves the Buffalo Bills made this offseason was trading for Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore, but many people are skeptical of the move.
The Bills traded a 2026 second-round pick to acquire Moore. Although it might not seem significant to part with a Day 2 pick for a good player, Moore is 29 years old and coming off a disappointing season. He recorded only 50 receptions for 682 yards and six touchdowns last season. Those statistics aren’t particularly impressive, and Fansided’s Jake Beckman believes that relying on Moore to be Josh Allen’s No. 1 receiver is the biggest “gamble” for Buffalo this season.
“Back to this offseason: Brandon Beane had an opportunity to turn the page to show the world that Sean McDermott was the one making the roster decisions and not getting Allen more help. Instead, he traded a second-round pick to the Bears for D.J. Moore … and that’s all that he’s done,” Beckman wrote on Saturday. “Don’t get me wrong, Moore’s a good ball player, but he’s not the dominant X receiver or mega-dynamic slot guy that Allen deserves. The Bills are betting that Joe Brady can get more out of Moore than the Bears did. That’s a heck of a gamble.”
The Bills Had to Make a Move For a No. 1 Option
Many will criticize Beane for trading a second-round pick for Moore, but the Bills needed to upgrade their No. 1 receiver spot. Buffalo hasn’t had a true No. 1 option for Allen since they traded Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans in 2024.
The Bills also don’t have time to wait around for young receivers to develop. Buffalo needs to win now, and adding a player like Moore, who has been in the league for eight seasons, will help. Moore may not be as effective in three to four years, but he could be a valuable asset over the next two seasons, which is what the Bills are hoping for.
Moore has also worked with Brady before, back in their Panthers days. Brady was the offensive coordinator from 2020 to 2021 while Moore was playing wide receiver for the team.
Joe Brady Still Thinks Moore Has a Lot Left in the Tank
Brady hasn’t coached Moore in almost five seasons but didn’t seem much different from when he did coach him while watching his film from the past season.
“You try not to go into it and be like, ‘Hey, I remember what the player was and let’s just do it.’ It’s natural in football. Five years is a long time. But the player that I turned on the tape wasn’t any different in terms of the way that he moved, the skill set, the opportunity, the big plays, using him in a bunch of different ways,” Brady said in March via NFL .com’s Bobby Kownack. “I saw that, and I didn’t see a guy that has had any drop-off. I saw a guy that there’s a clear vision for how we’re going to utilize him and get the ball in his hands. I know him and Josh, there’s been a lot of work this offseason getting them on the same page, but I’m really excited about where that’s gonna go.”
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