Getty
Head coach Ben Johnson of the Chicago Bears.
Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson had to weather some rockiness between wide receiver DJ Moore and quarterback Caleb Williams that spilled into public view following the team’s loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 14.
Moore was visible on the sidelines, helmet off and a look of disgust plastered across his face, after Williams threw an interception into the end zone on a fourth-and-one play inside the red zone in the final seconds of Chicago’s 28-21 defeat.
From context and subsequent interviews, Moore was upset because he believed he had come open and that Williams missed him. However, Johnson dispelled that notion on Monday.
“I didn’t see him as being the answer in that time,” Johnson said of Moore on the Bears’ final offensive play of the contest. “I think he came open more after the ball was released from Caleb.”
DJ Moore’s Poor Game Against Packers Makes Little Sense, as Rome Odunze Missed Contest With Injury
GettyWide receiver DJ Moore of the Chicago Bears.
Moore finished the day with just one reception for -4 yards. Williams hit on 19-of-35 pass attempts for 186 yards, two touchdowns and the one crucial interception.
Johnson also spoke to Moore’s unproductive day and the unexpectedness of it in light of the fact that wideout Rome Odunze missed the game with an injury.
“I thought he ran some pretty good routes over the course of the day and we just couldn’t give him the ball, which, that was not the intent,” Johnson continued. “I thought going into the game we might have had more for him than any other player in the offense. Was a little surprised at the end when I saw the stat sheet for one catch like he had.”
Moore’s frustration has been clear for much of the season, as he is tracking toward career lows in both receptions and receiving yards this year.
Bears May Decide to Trade DJ Moore This Offseason
GettyChicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore.
Moore’s distaste with Johnson’s offense and his role in it has not boiled over into a real problem yet, but the star receiver starts a four-year contract extension worth $110 million in 2026.
Chicago could trade Moore this offseason and save $24.5 million against the cap in each of the next four years, while incurring $4 million dead cap hits in the next three seasons. That would remove a high-level skill-player from the offense but open up enough money to add an elite-level player at a position like pass-rusher or left tackle.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell predicted a potential trade of Moore ahead of the November deadline, as Johnson’s offense focuses on a high number of 12 personnel sets (two tight ends) and emphasizes running the football with success and regularity, typically via a two-headed attack out of the backfield.
The Bears have the personnel to do that already, and could improve upon the offensive line and upgrade the running backs room next spring at reasonable cost. In the meantime, Odunze has shown the potential in his second year to be a WR1, which renders Moore less important to the longterm future of the Chicago offense.
Max Dible covers the NFL, NBA and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns. He covered local and statewide news as a reporter for West Hawaii Today and served as news director for BigIslandNow.com and Pacific Media Group’s family of Big Island radio stations before joining Heavy. More about Max Dible
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