DJ Moore explains how Caleb Williams can earn respect of Bears locker room

With Justin Fields gone, DJ Moore explained how the Bears’ presumptive rookie QB Caleb Williams can win over his teammates.

The Chicago Bears have moved on from Justin Fields and will welcome a new rookie quarterback, most likely USC’s Caleb Williams, to the team next month.

While it wasn’t a popular decision inside the locker room to trade Fields — as many of his former teammates publicly voiced their desire for Fields to remain in Chicago — they also understand it’s a business.

Now, Bears star wide receiver DJ Moore will have a new quarterback throwing him the ball in 2024. Moore, perhaps Fields’ biggest supporter, explained how Williams (or any rookie, really) can earn the respect of the Bears locker room (like Fields did).

“I hope he just comes in and gets ready to work,” Moore said, via 670 the Score. “You can’t worry about the legacy of Justin Fields. You got to go out there and worry (about your own thing).”

The one thing people always praised Fields for was his hardworking demeanor — first one in, last one out — and his leadership ability. That will take time for Williams, but there’s no reason to believe he can’t come into this locker room and earn that respect with hard work and production.

Williams, the presumptive No. 1 pick in this draft class, has all of the tools to develop into a star quarterback in this league. But, just like in college, he’s going to have to earn it.

And that starts with winning over his future teammates.

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DJ Moore talks new Bears teammate Keenan Allen, Justin Fields trade

Bears WR DJ Moore opened up about his new teammate Keenan Allen and the Justin Fields trade.

Bears wide receiver DJ Moore was the Chicago Bears’ prize of last offseason, as general manager Ryan Poles relinquished the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft in a trade with the Carolina Panthers.

The move was a resounding success. Moore immediately became the explosive, shifty receiver that fans hoped he would be, dominating targets in the pass game as he established an elite connection with then-Bears quarterback Justin Fields.

Chicago finished with a disappointing 7-10 record despite Moore’s career season, which meant that major shakeups to the roster were imminent. Poles made good on that sentiment, bringing in a plethora of offensive playmakers such as running back D’Andre Swift, tight end Gerald Everett and Pro Bowl receiver Keenan Allen, among others. 

Allen was, by and large, Chicago’s biggest swing of the offseason, overhauling a major need at the WR2 spot with another stellar number one receiver. It could be speculated that Moore would not be a big fan of the move, as he now has to compete with another accomplished pass-catcher for targets. Additionally, those targets will not come courtesy of Fields, who was traded to the Steelers, so that potent chemistry the two had will now be reset to a clean slate.

Any rumors of Moore’s discontent with his receiving colleague were quickly cleared up after Moore went on Chicago’s local 670 The Score and shared his perspective on the matter: “If we’re winning… I don’t really care.”

In fact, Moore senses there could be some friendly competition between him and Allen.

“It doesn’t really matter to me,” Moore said. “I know we’ve both talked about how we’re going to complement each other. So I’m just looking forward to that. It might be a race to 1,000 (yards), but that’s just a friendly competition. At the end of the day, if we’re winning, whoever is catching the ball, I don’t really care.”

Moore complimented Allen’s skillset, particularly his route-running ability that’s been well-refined over his 10-year career.

“His game has spoken for it all,” Moore remarked. “He’s a savvy route runner. He sets people up and makes people look silly out there. I’m looking forward to learning from him.”

The Bears’ decision to trade Fields to Pittsburgh was controversial, as the dynamic dual-threat QB had many defenders within the fanbase. Moore was perhaps Fields’ most devout fan: he publicly went to bat for his quarterback last season. When Moore was prompted to discuss his feelings on the Fields’ trade, he recalled the same thing he posted on X (formerly Twitter) when the fateful deal went down: “business is business.”

“Whoever we get, I’m going to be excited to work with,” Moore said. “Business is business. Nobody wanted (Fields) to go, but at the end of the day, that’s what the organization made the plans to do.”

The question of “who will the Bears get?” to fill a Fields-sized hole at the quarterback position already has a cemented answer. It’s widely perceived by the fans, media and league officials that Chicago will take USC’s Caleb Williams with the first pick in the 2024 NFL draft, who’s universally projected to be a generational passer in the NFL.

Williams will have to work hard to win the affection of the city that claims him: several players and a sizable portion of the Bears’ faithful wanted to give Fields one more chance to take the team to the postseason. Williams’ long road to becoming Chicago’s franchise QB is rapidly approaching.

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NFL analyst believes Panthers should trade Derrick Brown this offseason

NFL.com’s Adam Rank thinks the Panthers should sell off Pro Bowl DT Derrick Brown as they try to rebuild.

We bet you haven’t thought about this one yet . . .

NFL.com writer Adam Rank recently named a handful of top stars who he believes should be shipped away this offseason. Included in the bunch⁠—which also features the likes of wideouts Justin Jefferson, Stefon Diggs and Brandon Aiyuk as well as an old friend in Haason Reddick⁠—is Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Derrick Brown.

Yup.

Rank writes:

Brown is a solid piece, and you could reason that he should be considered the anchor for a young defense. But his contract is up after the coming campaign. Do you see the Panthers, fresh off a 2-15 disaster of a season, legitimately competing in 2024?

The Panthers, who gave up a whole bunch to secure Bryce Young’s services in last year’s draft (including their first-round selection this April and second-rounder in the 2025 draft), need to restock the draft coffers with picks.

Not only did the big man just make the first Pro Bowl of his career, but he was also the lone representative from Carolina to make the trip to Orlando. That all-star selection was well-deserved, as Brown’s 103 tackles set a new NFL single-season record for a defensive lineman.

If the Panthers were to trade Brown, he’d be the organization’s third first-round pick of the last seven drafts to be sent off—joining running back Christian McCaffrey and receiver DJ Moore.

But for now, let’s maybe worry about another first-round pick who’s looking for a new deal.

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DJ Moore still campaigning for Justin Fields’ return to Bears

The Bears have an important decision to make at quarterback. Will they take DJ Moore’s opinion into consideration?

The Chicago Bears continue to dominate sports conversation with their all-important quarterback dilemma right now.

Justin Fields and Caleb Williams are each going to be evaluated to the fullest extent before the team decides on what they are going to do. And it’s going to remain one of the biggest sports stories out there.

A lot of different people have weighed in on what they should be doing and there seems to be a lot of contradicting opinions. The most important thing that general manager Ryan Poles can do is listen to himself. His career as Bears GM is on the line with this decision, so he better make the right one.

The reason that Chicago has the number one pick in the draft for the second year in a row is a trade they made last year. They traded last year’s No. 1 pick to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for their 2023 and 2024 first-round selections along with DJ Moore and some other assets. The Panthers finished with the worst record in the league, which sent the Bears another great pick.

Moore was excellent in his first season with the Bears. It was his career year in just about every way. Moore had 96 receptions for 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns. He also had one rushing touchdown as a wide receiver for nine all-purpose scores.

There is no doubt that this is a number one NFL receiver and will help any offense move the ball. He did all of this despite minimal passing development from Fields. We know Fields is an outstanding running quarterback but he hasn’t been able to grow his game as a passer. However, Moore still found a way to get it done.

Moore is going to be a big part of Chicago’s offense for years to come. It also isn’t going to matter who is under center in the future. Whether it’s Fields or Williams, they will have an elite receiver to target. If the Bears add another good receiver in the draft, Moore will be even more effective.

Moore certainly has an opinion on whether or not they should keep Fields. He’s been adamant since before the end of the season that he’d like to see Fields back in 2024, but he understands it’s a business.

“I advocated for [Fields] and to see it come through would be amazing,” Moore said, via NBC Sports Chicago. “But if it doesn’t, I’ll still be happy. I don’t get paid to make that decision. I just go out there and make as many plays as I can for the quarterback that’s back there, as I’ve shown this year.

“But it’d be nice to see Justin stay.”

It is easy to understand Moore’s position. He had a career year with Fields throwing him the ball. However, he has to know that winning could come with a different guy coming in there. If that is how Poles feels, Moore may have to move on with yet another quarterback, most likely Williams.

Panthers’ Walter Payton Man of the Year Award nominees since 2014

Here are the last 10 Panthers who have bene nominated for the prestigious Walter Payton Man of the Year Award

Only one Carolina Panther is up for some hardware at tonight’s NFL Honors—and that’s center Bradley Bozeman, who is the team’s nominee for the 2023 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. The “White Rhino” has not only exhibited excellence on the field, but he’s been a presence in the community off of it—through the charitable work of the Bradley and Nikki Bozeman Foundation.

So, to bring him a little luck, let’s get some good vibes going and look back at the organization’s last 10 nominees for the prestigious honor.

Every NFL team’s receiving leader from the 2023 regular season

Each team’s leader in receiving yards from 2023

Look, we know the Carolina Panthers had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year—particularly on offense. But fair is fair, and we already gave you passing and rushing leaders.

So, let’s finish it out and run through each team’s leader in receiving yards from the 2023 regular season.

LOOK: Bears QB Justin Fields hard at work during offseason training

Despite the uncertainty of his Bears future, Justin Fields remains focused on his offseason training.

There are plenty of questions surrounding Justin Fields’ future with the Chicago Bears, but that hasn’t stopped him from going full steam ahead during his offseason training.

Fields is coming off an encouraging third season, where he made strides as a passer. But with the Bears sitting with the first overall pick — and Caleb Williams up for grabs — general manager Ryan Poles has an important decision to make at quarterback.

Despite the outside noise, Fields remains focused on his training. Simeon Kelley shared a video of Fields’ recent offseason preparation in the weight room at Halas Hall.

Fields has received massive support from his teammates and other NFL players (past and present) alike. Safety Jaquan Brisker shared the workout video to his social feed with the caption: “That’s my Quarterback!!!”

No one’s been more vocal about keeping Fields than his No. 1 wide receiver DJ Moore, who has been campaigning for Fields’ return when there were still a few games left in the 2023 season. During his exit interview, Moore sounded off about the offense and made his stance about Fields clear.

“He’s the quarterback of the Chicago Bears until otherwise,” Moore said back on Jan. 8. “And I don’t think that’s changing anytime soon. We’ll see.”

During an appearance on the St. Brown Brothers podcast, Moore shared that he wants the Bears to trade the first overall pick (and build around Fields.)

Well, it certainly worked out the first time. Whether Poles opts for a repeat remains to be seen. It’s certainly going to be a long offseason.

Bears WR DJ Moore wants to retire in Chicago

Regardless of the Bears’ decision at quarterback, DJ Moore wants to be in Chicago for the long-term.

DJ Moore’s first season with the Chicago Bears was certainly a memorable one.

Moore, who was acquired in a trade of the No. 1 pick with the Carolina Panthers, had a career year with 96 receptions for 1,364 receiving yards and eight touchdowns — all career-highs. He was also part of one of the NFL’s best 1-2 punches with quarterback Justin Fields, whose future is uncertain.

The Bears have the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft — for the second straight year — where general manager Ryan Poles has an important decision to make whether to stick with Fields or draft a rookie, like Caleb Williams.

Moore has been vocal in his support of Fields throughout the season, and he’d love to run it back with QB1 in 2024.

“I know it’s all up to them, but my honest opinion is my opinion,” Moore said, via ESPN’s Courtney Cronin. “I get paid enough, but I don’t get paid enough to make those decisions.

But even amid uncertainty at the quarterback position, Moore made it clear he wants to be in Chicago for the long-term — perhaps for the rest of his career.

“I would like to do at least five years here and then, shoot, maybe retire here,” Moore told ESPN. “That’s always the goal.

“I thought I was going to be in Carolina forever. I was there for five years and I don’t want to be here shorter than that. I’m looking forward to that.”

Moore signed a three-year, $61.8 million deal with the Panthers in March 2022, which means his current contract keeps him in Chicago through 2025. Then Poles will have an important decision to make about Moore, who’s hoping to remain with the Bears for the rest of his NFL career.

Montez Sweat had high praise for Bears teammate DJ Moore

Montez Sweat sounded off on where Bears teammate DJ Moore ranks among NFL wide receivers.

Wide receiver DJ Moore made a huge impact in his first season with the Chicago Bears, where he totaled career highs in receptions (96), receiving yards (1,364) and touchdowns (8).

Still, Moore doesn’t garner the respect he deserves, including being a notable Pro Bowl snub, especially playing in some underwhelming offenses in his six-year career. Case in point: ESPN’s Shannon Sharpe, who said Moore wasn’t even a top-15 wideout in the NFL.

Sharpe asked one Twitter (X) user which of these receivers he’d take over Moore:

Tyreek Hill, CeeDee Lamb, Ja’Mar Chase, Justin Jefferson, Stefon Diggs, Davante Adams, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Puka Nucua, A.J. Brown, D.K. Metcalf, Debo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, Amari Cooper, Keenan Allen, Mike Evans, Cooper Kupp, Michael Pittman Jr., Nico Collins

Sharpe’s own answer was clear in posing the question: None of them.

Meanwhile, Moore had the sixth-most receiving yards in the NFL and was part of one of the league’s most dangerous duos with Justin Fields. Not to mention, Fields missed four games this season — and Moore still balled out.

Bears star defensive end Montez Sweat sounded off on the debate with high praise for his teammate: He’d take Moore over all 18 of them.

The Bears acquired Moore from the Carolina Panthers in a trade of the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. The haul also included right tackle Darnell Wright, cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, the No. 1 pick in 2024 and a 2025 second-rounder still on the way.

Moore was one of the most impactful additions this season, where he proved to be Fields’ most reliable weapon and an electric playmaker. Chicago’s passing offense improved from 32nd in the NFL in 2022 to 27th in 2023.

There’s uncertainty at the quarterback position this offseason, but Moore has made his stance clear: He wants Fields back in 2024. We’ll see if Moore gets his wish.

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What DJ Moore wants Bears to do with No. 1 pick in 2024 NFL draft

The Bears have an important decision to make with the first overall pick in the NFL draft. DJ Moore revealed what he thinks Chicago will do.

The Chicago Bears once again control the NFL draft this year as they hold the first overall pick (thanks to the Carolina Panthers). While the expectation last year was that Chicago was going to trade it, there’s more uncertainty this season.

Bears wide receiver DJ Moore appeared on the St. Brown Brothers’ podcast with 33rd Team, where he revealed what he thinks Chicago will do with the top selection.

“I think we trade back, to be honest,” Moore said.

Equanimeous St. Brown, Moore’s teammate in Chicago, agreed.

“It worked out the first time,” he said.

St. Brown is, of course, referring to to the trade of the first overall pick last year, where the Bears acquired Moore (alongside picks that turned into right tackle Darnell Wright, cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, the No. 1 pick this year and a 2025 second-rounder).

It certainly seems that Moore’s opinion carries a lot of weight within the organization. During his exit interview with head coach Matt Eberflus and general manager Ryan Poles, Moore took time to give his feedback about the offense, which he previously alluded to in his postgame presser with the media, calling out Luke Getsy’s playcalling. Getsy was fired on Wednesday.

That’s not to say that Moore is the reason Getsy was fired, but Eberflus and Poles value player input — especially from one of their best leaders in Moore — and use that in a big picture evaluation.

Another topic of discussion that came up during that exit interview? Fields.

There’s been no bigger supporter of Fields than Moore, who had a career year with 96 catches for 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns and has been campaigning for his QB to return for weeks. Fields and Moore have been among the NFL’s most lethal duos — and Moore nearly eclipsed 1,400 yards even with Fields missing four games.

While it certainly feels like Chicago could use the first overall pick to draft a rookie quarterback, like Caleb Williams, Poles did admit that he was “open-minded” to trading the top selection for the a second consecutive season.

“What happened last year, I didn’t see … for it to turn out the way that it did,” Poles said of the massive haul, including Moore. “Again, I’ve got to stay open-minded.”