The trade for D.J. Moore from Carolina by the Chicago Bears was widely acclaimed as one of the best moves of the off-season. GM Ryan Poles had finally managed to secure a genuine #1-caliber wide receiver for quarterback Justin Fields. Many compared it to the Buffalo Bills landing Stefon Diggs a few years ago from Minnesota. If that’s true, then this could be one of the most pivotal moves in recent memory for the organization. His connection with quarterback Justin Fields didn’t take long to manifest. The pair made several plays together in OTAs and veteran minicamps.
If they were this effective despite limited time together, there is no telling how much better it will get as the chemistry improves. One thing is obvious. The Bears coaching staff is thrilled to have Moore in the mix. Wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert is chief among them. He’s worked with some excellent receivers in his long career, including Emmanuel Sanders, Demaryius Thomas, Larry Fitzgerald, Eric Moulds, and Steve Smith. A new video released by the Bears shows he is a big admirer of Moore.
Watch Tolbert do a breakdown of the receiver’s work. His animated descriptions of it even elicit a chuckle from Moore.
Every good offense requires a receiver that can get open almost at will. They have the speed, quickness, and route-running skill to create constant separation. This forces defenses to roll more coverage in their direction. That, in turn, creates more opportunities for teammates. It’s how a running back in Christian McCaffrey tops 1,000 yards in 2019, or somebody like Robbie Anderson goes for 1,000 yards in 2020. Darnell Mooney, Chase Claypool, and Cole Kmet will all benefit from his presence on the field. Tolbert knows that.
Nobody is happier to have D.J. Moore in the mix than Fields. This is the best receiver he has worked with since Chris Olave at Ohio State. Everybody remembers the magic those two created together. If he and Moore can reach similar heights, the Bears passing attack will go from afterthought to genuinely feared. It hasn’t been that way in a decade for this franchise. Excitement is already building for training camp on July 27th. The hype only figures to build from there.
