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Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff Writer
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — DJ Moore was running late last summer, but he didn’t want to rush, so the Chicago Bears wide receiver took his time getting to a workout with quarterback Justin Fields. Moore cruised down the road while sipping his morning coffee and puffing on a cigar.
Everyone had already stretched and warmed up by the time he arrived. Moore quickly laced up his cleats and sprang into action, leaving Fields and others stunned by how little time it took the 26-year-old receiver to go from zero to 100.
“[He] balled out and drove off with a cigar in his mouth,” Fields laughed.
Hours before the clock struck midnight after a 37-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons on New Year’s Eve, a waft of cigar smoke clung thick to the air inside the home team’s locker room in Soldier Field. On what would be the Bears’ seventh and final win of the 2023 season, Moore sparked the celebration by bringing in boxes of cigars for his teammates to enjoy.
His affinity for cigars, which he picked up from former Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, is something Moore wanted to share after a tumultuous season that began 0-4.
Moore had plenty to celebrate. He was a key part of the package the Bears received from the Panthers in March 2023 for the No. 1 pick, and he delivered one of his best seasons. He reached career highs in receiving yards (1,364) and receiving yards per game (80.2) — both of which ranked in the top eight among all receivers. He also had eight touchdowns to go with 96 receptions.
Moore became the fifth receiver in the franchise’s 104-year history to reach 1,300 yards in a season. And he did it on the 15th anniversary of another former Carolina receiver, Muhsin Muhammad, saying Chicago is a place where receivers go to die. In this case, Moore came to Chicago and thrived.
But part of the problem that defined the Bears’ 7-10 season was the underutilization of Moore. He received double-digit targets in just four games, and the Bears won all four. Solving that problem will fall on a new offensive coordinator after Luke Getsy was fired, and it also might fall on a new quarterback.
MOORE’S FIRST TOUCHDOWN came three weeks into the season in a game the Bears would like to forget. In the waning minutes of a 41-10 blowout at Kansas City, Fields connected with Moore at the goal line as the receiver absorbed a heavy hit while crossing into the end zone.
The touchdown made an impact on his teammates.
“People don’t know, catching a slant full speed when a guy is hitting you, like a contested catch, that’s pretty impressive,” said Bears wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown. “A player of that caliber makes us feel more confident in our offense.”
The Bears ranked 12th in third-down conversion percentage (41.2%), their highest mark since 2018. Moore became Fields’ go-to target in critical situations, where he came away with 531 receiving yards and five touchdowns on third downs.
Overall, the Bears’ passing game went from 32nd (130.5 yards per game) to 27th (182.1).
After catching passes from eight quarterbacks over five seasons in Carolina, Moore thought he could finally eye quarterback stability for the first time in his career. That changed the way he approached his preparation.
“With him being younger than most of the quarterbacks I’ve been with [Fields is 24], it made me revert back to learning the whole offense, so I could be on the same page with him and think the same things he was thinking,” Moore told ESPN. “It kind of benefitted me more.
“I think that’s why my numbers were so high with him, because we were on the same page and had to grow through the offense together.”
But while Moore and tight end Cole Kmet had career-best seasons, the production Fields had elsewhere left a lot to be desired.
Fields had a 71% completion percentage, 8-0 touchdown-to-interception radio, averaged 11.0 yards per attempt and recorded a 97.1 QBR when targeting Moore. When targeting other Bears wide receivers, his completion percentage dipped by 24%, his off-target percentage increased by 17% and his QBR plummeted to 41.4.
“He’s made my job easier,” Fields said. “See him [in] one-on-one coverage, he is most likely open.
“Just the way he came in and adjusted to the offense, learned it. I remember him having like maybe two mistakes in training camp on plays. He’s dedicated his time to this team and to learning the playbook and coming in and making plays. He has been great for us. Shoot, I love him here.”
THE BEARS SECURED the No. 1 pick in the draft thanks to the trade with Carolina, which finished with a league-worst 2-15 record. But that raised questions about Fields’ future in Chicago because USC quarterback Caleb Williams is expected to go No. 1.
Every chance he got, Moore doubled down on his support of Fields as the Bears franchise quarterback. He voiced his opinion about the matter during his exit interview with coach Matt Eberflus and general manager Ryan Poles on January 8, along with the changes he’d like to see in the Bears offense.
“He’s the quarterback of the Chicago Bears until otherwise,” Moore said. “And I don’t think that’s changing anytime soon.”
What has changed is the majority of the offensive coaching staff. Three days after a 17-9 season-ending loss at Green Bay, where Moore finished with four catches on six targets, Chicago fired Getsy after two seasons along with four members of the offensive staff, including wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert.
How much the offense changes with the new staff will depend not only on the scheme but the direction the Bears go at quarterback.
“The passing offense runs through our skill players,” Eberflus said. “Cole had a really good season, and so did DJ.
“So we’re certainly excited about that, and we got some good shots down the field from Justin. He made some good connections with DJ and Cole this year, and we’ve just got to continue to improve that.”
When Moore comes back for OTAs this spring, he may be starting over with a new quarterback. Or if the Bears keep Fields and trade the No. 1 overall pick again, Moore may be paired up with another top receiver like Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr.
“I know it’s all up to them, but my honest opinion is my opinion,” Moore said. “I get paid enough, but I don’t get paid enough to make those decisions.”
But regardless of the path Chicago chooses to pursue, Moore said he wants to be part of the Bears’ future regardless of the QB uncertainty.
“I would like to do at least five years here and then, shoot, maybe retire here,” Moore said. “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.”
