{"id":849238,"date":"2026-04-02T12:53:56","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T12:53:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/849238\/"},"modified":"2026-04-02T12:53:56","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T12:53:56","slug":"bears-hc-ben-johnson-discusses-filling-void-after-dj-moore-loss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/849238\/","title":{"rendered":"Bears HC Ben Johnson discusses filling void after DJ Moore loss"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/bearswire.usatoday.com\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Chicago Bears;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Chicago Bears&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Chicago Bears<\/a> made the decision to trade away veteran wide receiver DJ Moore this offseason, sending him to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, opening the door for opportunities for others on offense.<\/p>\n<p>Over the last few seasons, Moore was the top receiver for the <a href=\"https:\/\/sportsdata.usatoday.com\/football\/nfl\/teams\/chicago-bears\/326\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Bears;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Bears&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Bears<\/a>. But, over the course of the last two seasons, Chicago had spent premium draft picks on wide receivers Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III, laying the groundwork for the future.<\/p>\n<p>Advertisement<\/p>\n<p>While it would be easy to look at who will step up in the receiver room after Moore&#8217;s departure, Bears head coach Ben Johnson said it&#8217;ll come down to several players at multiple positions, including Odunze and Burden, as well as last year&#8217;s top tight end Colston Loveland, make the most out of the open possibilities.<\/p>\n<p>1 \/ 16<\/p>\n<p>Chicago Bears 2026 free agency tracker<\/p>\n<p>Bears sign DT Neville Gallimore<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/48c06bdf5db01706246cf1b7b5f317f6.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>1 \/ 16<\/p>\n<p>Chicago Bears 2026 free agency tracker<\/p>\n<p>Bears sign DT Neville Gallimore<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/e7fbb7850d8a4853d0496d3ce13e85c9.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>2 \/ 16<\/p>\n<p>PFF grades for new Chicago Bears in free agency<\/p>\n<p>Bears sign S Coby Bryant<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/20998d7b820d5b103c499ba835ffd9e4.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>3 \/ 16<\/p>\n<p>Chicago Bears 2026 free agency tracker<\/p>\n<p>Bears sign LB Devin Bush<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/a1e830746eb6f4c7cab8a78580b0d385.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>4 \/ 16<\/p>\n<p>What Ben Johnson hopes Kalif Raymond brings to the Bears<\/p>\n<p>Bears sign WR Kalif Raymond<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/8d16c523b4f7432a6de98a2d06c3d98d.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>5 \/ 16<\/p>\n<p>Chicago Bears 2026 free agency tracker<\/p>\n<p>Bears sign DB Cam Lewis<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/01bbd707ff21173c6417efa2061f2f32.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>6 \/ 16<\/p>\n<p>Chicago Bears 2026 free agency tracker<\/p>\n<p>Bears sign DL Kentavius Street<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/6b4a854a067c831de680bf032f5d3d8f.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>7 \/ 16<\/p>\n<p>Chicago Bears 2026 free agency tracker<\/p>\n<p>Bears sign OT Jedrick Wills Jr.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/07286a8bce87643c386bf33d1f8f9ce8.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>8 \/ 16<\/p>\n<p>Chicago Bears 2026 free agency tracker<\/p>\n<p>Bears re-sign QB Case Keenum<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774542462_493_5c30aa04ba8ffabe7c420514769ee12d.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>9 \/ 16<\/p>\n<p>Bears LT Braxton Jones opens up about last season&#8217;s benching<\/p>\n<p>Bears re-sign LT Braxton Jones<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/4398fa2ccff12092a151c137f7f57119.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>10 \/ 16<\/p>\n<p>Chicago Bears 2026 free agency tracker<\/p>\n<p>Bears re-sign LB D&#8217;Marco Jackson<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/8726c10ae7548a0a81129f68da895996.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>11 \/ 16<\/p>\n<p>Chicago Bears 2026 free agency tracker<\/p>\n<p>Bears re-sign DE Daniel Hardy<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/21f24a76942c36e966931c0e929b02e1.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>12 \/ 16<\/p>\n<p>Chicago Bears 2026 free agency tracker<\/p>\n<p>Bears re-sign S Elijah Hicks<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bd7cb953f1e1d0d6b1b9490fe12f4f4b.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>13 \/ 16<\/p>\n<p>Chicago Bears 2026 free agency tracker<\/p>\n<p>Bears re-sign OL Jordan McFadden<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/be6a920e1b6f3fac29bffdd3e3873d90.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>14 \/ 16<\/p>\n<p>Chicago Bears 2026 free agency tracker<\/p>\n<p>Bears re-sign CB Jaylon Jones<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/9cdc7b3e1bf1c97bb0bc704c3963689c.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>15 \/ 16<\/p>\n<p>Chicago Bears 2026 free agency tracker<\/p>\n<p>Bears sign DL James Lynch<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"cropped-img\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/96217cfc679603c14d15c9ba0eeac4e4.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>16 \/ 16<\/p>\n<p>Chicago Bears 2026 free agency tracker<\/p>\n<p>Bears sign LB Jack Sanborn<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDJ had the most skins on the wall in terms of production throughout his career,\u201d Johnson said, via <a href=\"https:\/\/allchgo.com\/ben-johnson-bears-hot-topics-defense-odunze-burden\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:CHGO;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;CHGO&quot;}\" class=\"link \">CHGO<\/a>. \u201cNow that opens some windows, some targets. Where does it get distributed? You already mentioned Rome and Luther certainly, but also it\u2019s a competition between the receiver room and the tight end room and the running back room.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This leaves the door open for bigger roles for Loveland or Cole Kmet at tight end, as well as more creative ways for running backs D&#8217;Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai to have even more offensive production. There is no shortage of options for the Bears offense, but there should be a focus on both Odunze and Burden as they take not only a bigger role but step up as leaders heading into the 2026 season.<\/p>\n<p>Follow Bears Wire on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/TheBearsWire\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Twitter;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Twitter&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TheBearsWire\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Facebook;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Facebook&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bearswireusat\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Instagram;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Instagram&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n<p>This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: <a href=\"https:\/\/bearswire.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/nfl\/bears\/2026\/04\/02\/bears-ben-johnson-filling-dj-moore-void\/89409094007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Bears HC Ben Johnson discusses filling void after DJ Moore loss;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Bears HC Ben Johnson discusses filling void after DJ Moore loss&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Bears HC Ben Johnson discusses filling void after DJ Moore loss<\/a><\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Chicago Bears made the decision to trade away veteran wide receiver DJ Moore this offseason, sending him&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":849239,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2070],"tags":[4955,374,11273,53,692,391,2493,3744,590,1475,7,2526,446,6,2495,1473],"class_list":{"0":"post-849238","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-chicago-bears","8":"tag-2026-nfl-draft","9":"tag-bears","10":"tag-bears-head-coach","11":"tag-buffalo-bills","12":"tag-chicago","13":"tag-chicago-bears","14":"tag-chicagobears","15":"tag-cole-kmet","16":"tag-colston-loveland","17":"tag-dj-moore","18":"tag-football","19":"tag-kyle-monangai","20":"tag-luther-burden-iii","21":"tag-nfl","22":"tag-rome-odunze","23":"tag-wide-receiver"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116335222560464907","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/849238","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=849238"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/849238\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/849239"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=849238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=849238"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=849238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}