Chicago Bears need to use WR DJ Moore more in offense - ESPN

CHICAGO — DJ Moore was walking down his driveway in Charlotte, North Carolina, to retrieve a haul of packages when his phone rang. It was late in the afternoon on March 10, and the Carolina Panthers were calling to inform Moore he was being traded to the Chicago Bears in exchange for the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft.

Having just signed a three-year extension in March 2022, the wide receiver didn't anticipate being on the move. Despite a lack of stability at quarterback in Carolina, Moore was the model of consistency. His 5,201 receiving yards over five seasons rank fourth in Panthers history, and no receiver in Bears history has more.

Moore walked back toward his home and began thinking about what lay ahead. Chicago hasn't been a great destination for receivers. In fact, this year is the 15th anniversary of when another former Carolina wideout, Muhsin Muhammad, said Chicago is where «receivers go to die.»

«I'm going to try to take it to a new standard,» Moore told ESPN in late September. «That's my take on it.»

DJ Moore has been one of the best — if underused — wide receivers in the NFL in his first season with the Bears.

When he faces the Panthers on Thursday (8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video), Moore is once again the top receiver on his team. And once again, he's on a team with issues in the passing game as the Bears rank 24th with 190.6 passing yards per game.

Part of the problem is despite how good Moore has been, he's underutilized. While his 735 receiving yards rank sixth in the league, and he's tied for seventh with five touchdowns, he's tied for 20th in targets with 62. It's a problem that seemingly has a logical solution, one that has been identified by Bears coaches and players, but for various reasons, targeting