The Chicago Bears are gearing up for the 2023 NFL season, which features plenty of new and returning faces within the organization. There are a number of players, coaches and front office members that are crucial to the team’s success this season.
Every day from now until the start of training camp, we’re counting down our 30 Most Important Bears for the 2023 season. We’ll recap their 2022 season, look ahead to 2023 and tackle the biggest question facing them this year.
At No. 2 is wide receiver DJ Moore, who gives Justin Fields the true No. 1 wide receiver he’s been missing.
Background
Age: 26
Position: Wide receiver
Experience: 6th season
2023 cap hit: $20.16 million
2022 recap
Moore has been an important part of the Panthers offense during his five seasons, including three seasons where he posted 1,000 receiving yards. It was made all the more impressive considering Carolina had lackluster quarterback play during his tenure. During the 2022 season, Moore had 63 catches for 888 yards in 17 starts. While Moore fell short of what would’ve been his fourth straight 1,000-yard campaign, he did post a career-high seven touchdowns in 2022. Moore’s most impressive highlight came against the Falcons, where he made an incredible catch with defenders draped over him. Down six with no timeouts and 23 seconds left, new Bears backup quarterback P.J. Walker threw a bomb deep down the field to Moore for a 62-yard touchdown to force overtime.
2023 outlook
There’s no doubt the addition of Moore was the team’s biggest offseason move. The Bears traded the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft for picks, and Moore was a big sticking point for GM Ryan Poles during trade negotiations. Moore’s presence should help jumpstart an anemic Chicago passing game, giving quarterback Justin Fields a bonafide No. 1 wide receiver. Moore has impressive speed, is good at getting separation and he’s an all-round playmaking threat. It will also benefit other top wideouts Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool, who will be freed up with the attention on Moore. Fields and Moore were the talk of the offseason, as their chemistry flourished quickly during workouts.
Big question: Can Moore help unlock Justin Fields' potential in the passing game?
When all is said and done, Moore could very well be the biggest acquisition by Poles during his entire tenure. After all, the most important thing this season is the development of Fields, who finally has the No. 1 wideout he’s been missing. When looking at how other young quarterbacks have benefitted from the addition of a top receiver, there’s reason to belief Fields will make substantial growth as a passer with Moore as his top target. While there will be a nice balance of run and pass on offense this season, the addition of Moore gives Luke Getsy the opportunity to really open things up. Moore could very well be on his way toward his fourth 1,000-yard season and help Fields unlock his potential as a dual-threat QB.
30 Most Important Bears of 2023
We’re counting down our 30 Most Important Bears of 2023. Check back every day leading up to the start of training camp.
