DJ Moore has been one of the most talked-about wide receivers in the NFL not just because of what he does on the field, but because of the financial saga surrounding his career. From a franchise-record extension with the Chicago Bears to an unexpected trade to the Buffalo Bills just months into that mega deal, Moore’s contract story is one of the most fascinating in recent NFL history. Here is everything you need to know — the numbers, the context, the controversy, and what it all means going forward.
Who Is DJ Moore and Why Does His Contract Matter So Much?
Drafted 24th overall by the Carolina Panthers in the 2018 NFL Draft, Dyami Jerome Moore quickly established himself as one of the most physically gifted wide receivers of his generation. Standing 5’11” and weighing 210 pounds, Moore ran a 4.42-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine and was the first wide receiver selected in that entire draft class. He came out of the University of Maryland, where he set the school’s single-season reception record with 80 catches for 1,033 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior — an achievement made even more remarkable by the fact that Maryland had four different quarterbacks that season due to injuries.
His contract matters because it sits at the intersection of massive guaranteed money, a sudden role change, and a front office trying to reshape its roster around a new coaching philosophy. The Bears gave Moore the largest contract in franchise history in July 2024 — and then traded him away less than 20 months later.
What Are the Full Details of DJ Moore’s $110 Million Contract?
On July 31, 2024, Moore and the Chicago Bears agreed to a four-year, $110 million contract extension that made him one of the highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL. The deal carries an average annual value (AAV) of $27.5 million, placing him among the elite tier at his position. <br>
DJ Moore Contract Breakdown
| Contract Detail | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total Contract Value | $110,000,000 |
| Average Annual Value (AAV) | $27,500,000 |
| Signing Bonus | $20,000,000 |
| Fully Guaranteed at Signing | $43,650,000 |
| Injury Guarantees | $82,635,000 |
| New Guarantees Added | $66,600,000 |
| 2026 Base Salary (Guaranteed) | $23,485,000 |
| 2026 Cap Hit | $24,500,000 |
| 2027 Base Salary | $23,500,000 |
| Contract Ranking at WR | 12th out of 300 |
What makes this contract particularly notable — and ultimately made it a problem for Chicago — is the cascading guarantee structure. Moore’s 2026 base salary of $23.5 million was already fully guaranteed.
His 2027 base salary of $23.5 million was set to become fully guaranteed in early March 2026. This meant the Bears were staring down nearly $49 million in committed money over two seasons for a receiver who had just posted a career-low 682 receiving yards. Additionally, the deal made Moore the first receiver in NFL history to have the first ten years of his career guaranteed — a unique distinction that reflects just how highly Chicago valued him at the time of signing.
Why Did the Chicago Bears Trade DJ Moore Despite His Huge Deal?
This is the question that shook the NFL world in early March 2026. To understand it, you have to look at what happened to Moore’s role under new head coach Ben Johnson, who arrived in Chicago with a very specific offensive vision.
Johnson’s system leans heavily into the run game, 12 personnel packages (two tight ends on the field), and screen games — a design where a traditional outside wide receiver like Moore is not the centerpiece. As the 2025 season progressed, tight end Colston Loveland emerged as a legitimate threat, Rome Odunze established himself despite missing five games with a foot injury, and young receiver Luther Burden III began commanding attention from the midpoint of the season onward. Moore’s target share collapsed. He finished with 50 catches for 682 yards and six touchdowns — the lowest receiving yard total of his career by a wide margin. His route efficiency metrics also declined sharply from where they had been two seasons earlier.
The Bears were effectively paying $28.5 million in cap space for a third or fourth option in their receiver rotation. That is a luxury most NFL teams cannot afford, and Chicago was no exception. By trading Moore, the Bears freed up $16.5 million in cap space for 2026 — money that can be reinvested into offensive linemen, pass rushers, or other pressing needs as Johnson builds his program.
What Are the Terms of the DJ Moore Trade to the Buffalo Bills?
On March 6, 2026 — just hours before the NFL’s legal tampering period opened — the Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills agreed to one of the most financially loaded trades of the 2026 offseason. Buffalo sent a 2026 second-round pick (No. 60 overall) to Chicago in exchange for Moore and a 2026 fifth-round pick (No. 164 overall). The Bills also agreed to guarantee $15.5 million of Moore’s $23.5 million base salary for the 2028 season as part of the transaction.
This was a strong return for Chicago, given that Moore’s contract had $49 million already guaranteed or vesting imminently. The trade cannot be processed officially until the new NFL league year begins the following Wednesday.
For the Bills, the move addresses a glaring need. Buffalo’s general manager Brandon Beane had been criticized throughout the 2025 season for not acquiring a legitimate wide receiver alongside Khalil Shakir. Josh Allen, fresh off a new contract and recovering from foot surgery, now has a proven weapon with playoff experience.
There is also a personal connection worth noting. Moore will be reunited with Bills head coach Joe Brady, who served as the Panthers’ offensive coordinator in 2020 and 2021 — the same two seasons in which Moore produced at least 1,157 receiving yards in each. Brady clearly knows how to use Moore, and Moore knows Brady’s system.
How Has DJ Moore’s Production Changed Year Over Year?
Moore’s trajectory is a study in how quarterback play and offensive system can dramatically affect even elite receivers. He spent five seasons in Carolina surrounded by a revolving door of quarterbacks — Cam Newton past his prime, Teddy Bridgewater, Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, and PJ Walker — and still managed to post multiple 1,000-yard seasons through sheer talent. His first full breakout came in 2023 after the trade to Chicago, where playing alongside Justin Fields and later other options resulted in career-high numbers across the board.
DJ Moore Career Stats by Season
| Season | Team | Games | Receptions | Receiving Yards | Yards/Rec | Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Carolina Panthers | 15 | 55 | 788 | 14.3 | 2 |
| 2019 | Carolina Panthers | 16 | 87 | 1,175 | 13.5 | 4 |
| 2020 | Carolina Panthers | 15 | 66 | 1,193 | 18.1 | 4 |
| 2021 | Carolina Panthers | 17 | 93 | 1,157 | 12.4 | 4 |
| 2022 | Carolina Panthers | 17 | 63 | 888 | 14.1 | 7 |
| 2023 | Chicago Bears | 17 | 96 | 1,364 | 14.2 | 8 |
| 2024 | Chicago Bears | 17 | 98 | 966 | 9.9 | 8 |
| 2025 | Chicago Bears | 17 | 50 | 682 | 13.6 | 6 |
| Career | 131 | 608 | 8,213 | 13.5 | 43 |
His 2023 season remains the crown jewel of his career — 96 receptions, 1,364 yards, and eight touchdowns, all personal bests. His Week 5 performance that year against the Washington Commanders — 8 catches, 230 yards, and three touchdowns — remains one of the most dominant single-game performances by a wide receiver in Bears history. The 2025 decline, however, was steep and undeniable. His 682 receiving yards were nearly half of what he produced just two seasons prior, and his PFF overall grade of 65.8 ranked 58th among 81 qualifying wide receivers in the league.
What Does This Move Mean for DJ Moore and the Bills Going Forward?
For Moore, this trade is a genuine second chance at elite production. Josh Allen, even coming off foot surgery, is a fundamentally different quarterback from Caleb Williams at his current stage of development. Allen’s ability to extend plays, make throws from difficult angles, and command the offense’s entire attention from opposing defenses opens up lanes for every receiver around him. Moore is 28 years old and turns 29 on April 14, 2026 — an age where most receivers are still in their prime production window, especially those with his physical profile.
The Bills’ receiving room heading into 2026 includes question marks beyond Khalil Shakir. Keon Coleman remains a developmental project. Joshua Palmer and Curtis Samuel round out the options — but none of them are certified No. 1 threats. Moore walks in as the clear top option opposite Shakir, which is a target share environment he has not enjoyed since his final seasons in Carolina.
The familiarity with Joe Brady cannot be overstated either. In 2020, playing in Brady’s Carolina offense, Moore posted 1,193 yards at 18.1 yards per catch — the most efficient season of his career on a per-reception basis. In 2021, he followed that with 1,157 yards. Brady knows exactly where Moore can thrive, and that institutional knowledge removes much of the adaptation time normally required when a receiver joins a new team.
For the Bills, the risk is real — they are paying $24.5 million in cap space for a receiver coming off a down year. But the potential upside, a proven playmaker in a proven system with the best quarterback he has ever played with, makes the gamble understandable.
How Does DJ Moore’s Contract Compare to Other Top Wide Receivers?
As of the 2026 offseason, Moore’s $27.5 million AAV places him 12th among wide receivers in the NFL. The market has since moved past him — receivers like Justin Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and others have pushed the ceiling higher — but Moore’s deal still represents a significant financial commitment for a team that has already paid Josh Allen a massive extension.
What makes Moore’s contract unusual is the injury guarantee structure. The $82.635 million in injury guarantees is extraordinary for a receiver not in the absolute top tier of the market at the time of signing. It suggests the Bears were genuinely planning around Moore as a long-term cornerstone — making the eventual trade feel even more jarring in retrospect.
DJ Moore’s Unique Contract Milestones and Fun Facts
It is worth highlighting just how unprecedented some aspects of Moore’s financial history are. He is the first wide receiver in NFL history to have the first ten years of his NFL career guaranteed — a clause buried in the July 2024 extension that drew relatively little attention at the time but stands as a landmark in how modern receiver contracts are structured. He has now been party to two of the most significant financial transactions in Bears history: first receiving the franchise’s largest-ever contract extension, then being traded away with a net effect that cost Chicago nearly $49 million in committed guarantees in exchange for a late second-round pick.
Moore also has a contract history that spans three different teams, three different contract structures, and what is effectively a complete reset of his competitive situation — all before turning 30. That kind of financial and competitive volatility is rare even by NFL standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is DJ Moore’s current contract worth?
Moore signed a four-year, $110 million extension with the Chicago Bears on July 31, 2024, with an average annual value of $27.5 million. Following his trade to the Buffalo Bills in March 2026, the remaining years of that contract transferred to Buffalo.
How much of DJ Moore’s contract is guaranteed?
At signing, $43.65 million was fully guaranteed. The contract also contains $82.635 million in injury guarantees. His 2026 base salary of $23.5 million is fully guaranteed, and his 2027 base salary of $23.5 million was set to become fully guaranteed shortly after the trade was announced.
Why did the Bears trade DJ Moore?
The Bears traded Moore primarily due to a crowded receiver room and a scheme mismatch under new head coach Ben Johnson, whose system prioritizes tight ends, the run game, and screen passes. Moore’s $28.5 million cap hit in 2026 was difficult to justify for a third or fourth receiver option, and trading him freed approximately $16.5 million in cap space.
What did the Bills give up to get DJ Moore?
Buffalo sent a 2026 second-round pick (No. 60 overall) to Chicago, and received Moore plus a 2026 fifth-round pick (No. 164 overall) in return. The Bills also agreed to guarantee $15.5 million of Moore’s 2028 base salary as part of the deal.
How many career receiving yards does DJ Moore have?
Through the end of the 2025 NFL season, Moore has accumulated 8,213 career receiving yards on 608 receptions with 43 receiving touchdowns over eight seasons.
What is DJ Moore’s cap hit for 2026?
Moore carries a cap hit of $24.5 million in 2026, which includes his $23.485 million base salary and a $250,000 workout bonus.
Has DJ Moore ever had a 1,000-yard season?
Yes. Moore has posted four 1,000-yard receiving seasons — in 2019 (1,175 yards), 2020 (1,193 yards), 2021 (1,157 yards), and 2023 (1,364 yards, a career high).
Who was DJ Moore’s best quarterback?
Statistically, Moore had his best season in 2023 catching passes primarily from Justin Fields, posting 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns. His best yards-per-catch efficiency (18.1) came in 2020 in Carolina under Joe Brady’s offense — the same coach now leading the Bills.