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There's been plenty of trade speculation surrounding Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore, who's poised to have a team-high $28.5 million salary cap hit in 2026. But would Chicago entertain the idea of trading their Walter Payton Man of the Year winner?
On Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine, general manager Ryan Poles addressed the trade rumors swirling around Moore. While he sung Moore's praises, Poles also acknowledged that the Bears have to keep their options open when it comes to trade discussions.
"I got to have conversations and kind of see what the best combination of players we can bring in," Poles said, via Chris Emma. "(But) we want him here. We think highly of him. He's a great teammate. He has been productive pretty consistently over the last couple years that he has been here. So, I have nothing but great things to say about him. But this is the time where we have to look at all the different scenarios and see what can allow us to put the best team we can put out there. There's relationships there, there's a lot there that makes it really, really difficult. He's a guy we want here, but we have to look at all the different scenarios."
There are many reasons why a trade wouldn't work, starting with Moore's contract structure. Even if the Bears found an interested party, they'd need to find a team willing to take on Moore's contract. While a post-June 1 trade would save Chicago $20.5 million in salary cap space (while costing $8 million in dead money), they'd most likely have to take on a good portion of that contract.
Then there's the depth issue at wide receiver. While Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III are rising stars, the Bears don't have a dependable WR3 behind them. Certainly they could turn to free agency or the NFL draft to add one. But Moore proved his worth and importance down the line last season when Odunze was sidelined with an injury, and he became a go-to target for quarterback Caleb Williams.
While Poles is singing Moore's praises and saying that the team wants him in Chicago next season, we've seen how quickly things can change. This will certainly be a storyline to monitor throughout the offseason.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears GM Ryan Poles addresses DJ Moore trade rumors
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On Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine, general manager Ryan Poles addressed the trade rumors swirling around Moore. While he sung Moore's praises, Poles also acknowledged that the Bears have to keep their options open when it comes to trade discussions.
"I got to have conversations and kind of see what the best combination of players we can bring in," Poles said, via Chris Emma. "(But) we want him here. We think highly of him. He's a great teammate. He has been productive pretty consistently over the last couple years that he has been here. So, I have nothing but great things to say about him. But this is the time where we have to look at all the different scenarios and see what can allow us to put the best team we can put out there. There's relationships there, there's a lot there that makes it really, really difficult. He's a guy we want here, but we have to look at all the different scenarios."
There are many reasons why a trade wouldn't work, starting with Moore's contract structure. Even if the Bears found an interested party, they'd need to find a team willing to take on Moore's contract. While a post-June 1 trade would save Chicago $20.5 million in salary cap space (while costing $8 million in dead money), they'd most likely have to take on a good portion of that contract.
Then there's the depth issue at wide receiver. While Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III are rising stars, the Bears don't have a dependable WR3 behind them. Certainly they could turn to free agency or the NFL draft to add one. But Moore proved his worth and importance down the line last season when Odunze was sidelined with an injury, and he became a go-to target for quarterback Caleb Williams.
While Poles is singing Moore's praises and saying that the team wants him in Chicago next season, we've seen how quickly things can change. This will certainly be a storyline to monitor throughout the offseason.
Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears GM Ryan Poles addresses DJ Moore trade rumors
Continue reading...
