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Bears WR D.J. Moore cracks top-20 ranking entering 2025 NFL season

Originally posted on Chicago Bears on SI | By Bryan Perez | Last updated May 21, 2025 3:33 PM ET

Chicago Bears wide receiver D.J. Moore didn't have the kind of 2024 season that most expected, especially not after exploding in his first year with the Bears when he totaled 96 catches for 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns.

His regression to 966 yards (despite catching two more passes) was more a symptom of the offense's overall issues, plagued by former offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, but his inability to flip the field and make many high-impact plays seemed to ding his reputation just a bit.

But even after a sub-par year by Moore's standards, he's still considered one of the best wide receivers in the sport.

In a recent ranking of the top-32 wideouts in the NFL by Pro Football Focus, Moore checked in at No. 20.

"Since 2011, Moore ranks 11th among wide receivers in WAR at 1.96," PFF's Trevor Sikkema wrote. "He was outstanding in his first season with the Bears, earning an 89.5 receiving grade, but 2024 was a struggle across the board in Chicago. With Ben Johnson now in charge of the offense, Moore has a strong chance to climb back up this list."

With all of the excitement surrounding the additions of Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III in the 2025 NFL Draft, and the expected development of second-year wideout Rome Odunze, it's easy to forget about Moore, who's pound-for-pound one of the best all-around playmakers in the NFL.

Moore has a chance to dominate opposing defenses in Ben Johnson's offense in ways that Amon-Ra St. Brown has for the Detroit Lions, which, over the last three seasons, has equated to more than 100 receptions and no fewer than 1,161 yards. St. Brown set a career-high with 1,515 receiving yards in 2023.

Moore, 28, joined the Bears as part of the landmark trade that sent the Carolina Panthers the first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft for the pass-catcher and a boatload of draft assets, which ultimately turned into Caleb Williams in 2024. There's no doubt Moore has lived up to the hype that surrounded his addition. He's been so good for Chicago that he inked a four-year, $110 million contract extension prior to last season.

The combination of Moore, Odunze, Burden, Loveland, and Kmet should lead to fireworks on offense for the Chicago Bears in 2025, with Moore being the biggest star of them all.

This article first appeared on Chicago Bears on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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