In 2023, the Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears made headlines by pulling off a blockbuster trade that sent the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft to the Panthers. In return, the Bears received WR DJ Moore, the No. 9 overall pick, a 2023 second-round pick, a 2024 first-rounder, and a 2025 second-rounder.
The Bears had publicly stated they were “open for business,” and the Panthers, eager to secure their franchise quarterback, made an offer too good to pass up in order to select Bryce Young. This trade will be analyzed and debated by NFL fans and analysts for years to come.
Let’s break down the lasting impact.
DJ Moore Trade Details
The full details of the trade look like this:
Panthers received: No. 1 overall pick in 2023 (QB Bryce Young)
Bears received: DJ Moore, 2023 No. 9 overall pick (traded back one spot and selected Darnell Wright), 2023 No. 61 overall pick (traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars), 2024 No. 1 overall pick (Caleb Williams), and a 2025 second-round pick.
Great breakdown of the D.J. Moore trade from Drew Rosenhaus on @PatMcAfeeShow
“By no means did the Panthers want to trade D.J., but the Bears were smart…”
“The Panther were in tears, [literally] when they called D.J. it was emotional for them… D.J. was fine with it.” pic.twitter.com/1sc9POuHlu
— Max Markham (@MaxMarkhamNFL) April 5, 2023
Players Involved in the Moore Trade
Moore was the sole player included in the trade at the time it was made. The Bears’ front office saw him as a key component of the deal, with the primary focus on bolstering the offensive weapons around QB Justin Fields.
🚨 D.J. Moore is going to the Bears as part of the trade, per @AdamSchefter https://t.co/xqxFdTm6cM pic.twitter.com/xUrQAXfJCC
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) March 10, 2023
Moore is a sensational receiver, but he’s been plagued with poor QB play for most of his NFL career. With Fields not developing and ultimately being traded to Pittsburgh, the Bears were able to take highly-touted QB Caleb Williams No. 1 overall in 2024, thanks to the pick the Panthers sent them.
Ahead of the 2024 season, Moore earned a massive extension with the Bears. His four-year, $110 million extension ties him to the franchise until 2029, making him a free agent in 2030.
Who Won the Moore Trade?
When evaluating a trade of this magnitude, especially so soon after it occurred, it’s impossible to declare a clear winner or loser. Trading up for a quarterback in the NFL Draft is always a high-risk, high-reward move that comes at a steep price.
Update: The #Bears initially wanted the #Panthers to trade them DE Brian Burns, DT Derrick Brown, or WR D.J. Moore as part of the package for the number 1 overall selection, source told @TheAthleticNFL
Obviously the teams ended up agreeing on Moore. pic.twitter.com/U3DtnrwNni
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) April 3, 2023
So far, Young hasn’t looked good. His and the team’s failure during his rookie season handed the Bears the top pick in the 2024 draft. Simply put, the deal looks like a disaster so far.
However, if Young develops into Carolina’s franchise quarterback for the next decade-plus, the deal is worth it for the Panthers.
For Chicago, the deal made perfect sense. Acquiring a playmaker like Moore as part of a trade is stealing. The Bears got value and optionality with this trade.
Fields didn’t take the next step in his development and struggled, but as a result, the Bears had two first-round picks in a 2024 NFL Draft class and got Williams thanks to the Panthers’ pick. The Bears also got to take Rome Odunze with their own first-round pick and acquired another pick for Fields from the Steelers.
Now, Chicago is building around Williams, and is developing a deeper, more talented roster. The trade-down for the Bears was a no-brainer.
The Bears executed this trade wisely, securing a gem in Moore and accumulating significant draft capital to help stabilize their franchise.