In the 2023 NFL Offseason, the Chicago Bears traded the Carolina Panthers the first overall pick in exchange for a slew of high-quality draft capital and wide receiver DJ Moore.
Now, Moore’s name has come up in trade talks again, but this time it’s predicted that he could help Chicago land a Las Vegas Raiders superstar.
Chicago Bears Predicted to Trade DJ Moore for a Superstar Edge Rusher
In Moore’s first season with the Bears, he ranked seventh in the league in terms of PFSN’s NFL Wide Receiver Impact Metric (WRi) with an impact score of 89.6 and grade of B+. In 2024, he ranked 25th in the league with an impact score of 81.0 and a grade of B- in his first year with Caleb Williams.
However, 2025 was rough for him, considering Moore ranked 73rd with an impact score of 71.6 and a grade of C-. Due to the young talent the Bears possess, such as Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III, Moore could easily find himself on the trade block this offseason, and that’s just what ESPN’s Bill Barnwell predicts.
In fact, Barnwell believes that Moore could be used to acquire one of the best defenders in the game. He writes:
“Raiders get: WR DJ Moore, 2026 first-round pick
Bears get: Edge Maxx Crosby, 2027 fifth-round pick
“Crosby hasn’t publicly requested a trade, and the Raiders moved on from coach Pete Carroll after the season, but there’s certainly some smoke here. His three-year, $106.5 million extension was structured to make a trade before the 2026 season financially palatable. The deal doesn’t have a signing bonus, so the Raiders would be on the hook for only $5.1 million in dead money if they traded him.”
A possible Crosby trade would be feasible for the Las Vegas Raiders. Not only could they get a haul that’ll contribute to their rebuild, but his new team will be tied to the money he’s owed. Barnwell adds more, saying:
“The Bears have the 25th pick, and GM Ryan Poles hasn’t been shy about using draft picks to add talent… Poles probably has to clear out some cash and cap to get a deal done. Enter Moore, whose four-year extension starts next season. I’m not sure Johnson really loves Moore. The Bears will be locked into Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III… The Raiders, meanwhile, need to add help at wide receiver for presumptive No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza.”
The trade would make a lot of sense for both sides. For the Raiders, they’re acquiring a player who might not necessarily be a part of the team’s long-term future, but they’re presumably acquiring draft capital in any deal for Crosby.
Plus, Moore is no slouch of a player, so he’ll definitely contribute to the team and aid in potential first overall pick Fernando Mendoza’s development.
“Poles and the Bears, meanwhile, would be getting out of what might be an awful contract extension and realigning some of their cash toward the weakest part of their roster,” Barnwell noted.
As for the Bears, they’re opening up more opportunities for their young receivers to succeed, especially Burden. Moreover, they’re acquiring Crosby, one of the best defenders in the game, who will further strengthen their already strong, opportunistic defense.
Also, he’ll be under the team’s control until the 2030 offseason after signing his $106,500,000 extension.
In PFSN’s NFL Edge Rusher Impact Metric (EDGEi), Crosby ranked as the second-best edge defender this season with an impact score of 95.3 and a letter grade of A. He was only .3 points away from being tied with Myles Garrett, who won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award this past season.
