4 reasons why DJ Moore’s contract extension was a stroke of genius by the Chicago Bears

With each new contract, the Chicago Bears are proving that they’re an organization willing to reward players who produce while maintaining the kind of character GM Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus value.

Cole Kmet and Jaylon Johnson, two cornerstone players on the Bears roster, already got their money, and on Tuesday, it was DJ Moore’s turn. Moore agreed to a four-year, $110 million deal with the Bears that includes over $82 million in guaranteed money. He now has the seventh-highest average annual salary among wide receivers and ranks third in guaranteed money.

Here are four reasons why getting a deal done with DJ Moore now was a stroke of genius by Poles and the front office.

Wide receiver market continues to go bonkers

Getting DJ Moore’s contract done now and before deals for Brandon Aiyuk (49ers) and CeeDee Lamb (Cowboys) reset the market was wise. If the Bears waited until midseason to ink a deal with Moore, they ran the risk that Aiyuk would get his new deal first, and with Moore and Aiyuk possessing similar reputations within the NFL, it would’ve been a contract Moore could use as leverage to increase his demands.

Now, it’s irrelevant. All the Bears have to worry about is feeding Moore the ball. And that’s a beautiful thing.

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DJ Moore is a rare blend of explosive traits and humility

If any player on the Chicago Bears roster deserved to be a $100-million dude, it’s Moore. He’s so easy to cheer for. He isn’t a diva, he goes about his business the right way, even in difficult times. He was that dude in Carolina when the Panthers were atrocious, and he never rocked the boat last season when the passing game was, at times, hard to watch.

Moore is a great player for young Bears fans to idolize. Keeping him in Chicago for the remainder of his prime is good business.

Pay up while Caleb Williams is on his rookie contract

Ahh, the beauty of having a quarterback on a rookie contract. Caleb Williams gives Chicago a franchise passer and a cheat code to keep superstar players on the roster for his rookie contract window. It isn’t a coincidence that Moore’s new deal will run almost perfectly along Williams’ contract timeline.

Call it a hunch, but I don’t think Poles is done handing out new deals.

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— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) July 30, 2024

The rest of the Bears’ roster is on notice

What better way to motivate your roster than by rewarding a player who works hard and produces? That’s what this new contract does for a young Bears team with players like Rome Odunze, who now knows he has a general manager who will pay him a massive second contract if he lives up to the hype. A veteran like Keenan Allen knows he has a GM who will pay him if he plays the 2024 season like he did for the Chargers in 2023.

Every Bears player, regardless of position, knows they’re on a team that isn’t afraid to pay if a player deserves it. Don’t underestimate the power of the purse.

Kudos to Ryan Poles. Kudos to the Chicago Bears. And Kudos to DJ Moore.