The Buffalo Bills have secured a major new weapon for quarterback Josh Allen, agreeing to a trade with the Chicago Bears to acquire wide receiver DJ Moore, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Thursday. Buffalo is sending a 2026 second-round draft pick to Chicago in exchange for Moore and a 2026 fifth-round selection, according to Schefter.
Financially, the Bills will guarantee $15.5 million of Moore's $23.5 million base salary in 2028, while his 2026 base salary of $23.5 million is fully guaranteed. Moore’s 2027 base salary, also $23.5 million, will become fully guaranteed next week, agents Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey confirmed. The trade cannot be officially processed until the new league year begins next Wednesday.
Moore, who will turn 29 on April 14, reunites with new Bills head coach Joe Brady, under whom he played with the Carolina Panthers when Brady served as the team’s offensive coordinator in 2020 and much of 2021. Moore’s most productive seasons came during that time, including a career-high 18.1 yards per reception in 2020 and over 1,100 receiving yards in both years.
The Bills have precedent for trading high draft capital for top receivers: in 2020, then-general manager Brandon Beane acquired Stefon Diggs with a first-round pick, a move that yielded four strong seasons for the team. Wide receiver was a key need for Buffalo this offseason, as the position struggled with consistency throughout 2025. Moore joins a receiving corps with questions outside of Khalil Shakir, including Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer, and Curtis Samuel, Moore’s former Panthers teammate.
Buffalo has gradually reduced its reliance on wide receivers since 2020. That year, 72% of the team’s targets went to receivers—the highest rate in the NFL—but by 2025, that figure had dropped to 55%, ranking 22nd in the league.
After being traded to Chicago in 2023 as part of a package for the No. 1 pick, Moore quickly connected with former Bears quarterback Justin Fields, producing 1,364 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in his first season.
However, changes in coaching, playcalling, and quarterbacking led to a dip in production. In Caleb Williams’ rookie season in 2024, Moore still led the team with 98 catches for 966 yards, but by 2025, his role had shifted. The rise of tight end Colston Loveland and wide receivers Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III contributed to career lows for Moore in both catches (50) and receiving yards (682).
Despite the drop, Moore’s durability remained a standout attribute. He played all 17 games in 2025 and delivered memorable moments, including a 46-yard walk-off touchdown in overtime against the Green Bay Packers on December 20.
Two years after Chicago gave Moore a four-year, $110 million contract—the largest in franchise history—the Bears opted to move him to make room in a crowded receiving group. Now, Moore will look to revive his peak form with the Bills and reconnect with a coach under whom he enjoyed some of his best seasons.
