People who have followed the Chicago Bears for a long period of time are likely familiar with the name Mark Potash. He’s been a staple of the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper for several years. He’s spent that entire time covering the Bears. Those who know his work understand he is probably one of the biggest skeptics of the team out there, never afraid to troll fans whenever they have positive vibes about the team. He carries that over into press conferences, asking aggressive questions when the Bears are struggling.
So one would think Potash would be the first to roll his eyes when reports started surfacing about the near-instant chemistry between quarterback Justin Fields and wide receiver D.J. Moore. It’s hardly different from previous spring storylines that involved too much of the hopeium. However, in a surprising twist, the veteran columnist admitted to colleague David Haugh on Football Night In Chicago that the Moore buzz is for real. He believes the wide receiver lives up to everything said about him and more.
People were excited when the Bears completed the trade for him. They felt the receiving corp had gotten better. What they weren’t sure about was how much better. While Moore was good for 1,000 yards per season in Carolina, the offense still seemed to struggle. Much of that had to do with instability at quarterback and the coaching staff. It feels like he and Fields fit each other well. Fields is familiar with receivers of his type, having played with them during his time at Ohio State.
If D.J. Moore can force defenses to devote more defensive backs to stopping him, it will instantly give opportunities to others like Darnell Mooney, Cole Kmet, and Chase Claypool. That is before they have to worry about the still very dangerous Bears running game. Everybody remembers how dangerous Stefon Diggs made Josh Allen when they got together in Buffalo. The potential is there for Fields and Moore. It’s about whether they can stay healthy and the offensive line does its part.
If Potash sees the possibility, feel free to get excited.
