Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles speaks during a press conference at Halas Hall. Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Chicago Bears' Dream 2026 Offseason Trade Revealed

Originally posted on Chicago Bears on SI | By Bryan Perez | Last updated Feb 17, 2026 9:41 PM ET

The Chicago Bears and general manager Ryan Poles have work to do this offseason. Sure, it's not as much work as was required over the last few years, but it's work nonetheless.

One challenge facing Poles is the Bears' salary-cap situation. He'll be forced to make some difficult decisions with veteran starters in order to give the Bears some breathing room in free agency.

Players like linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and running back D'Andre Swift are consistently mentioned as potential salary-cap casualties. But there's another name that Bears fans have to monitor closely over the next few weeks: wide receiver DJ Moore.

In fact, in a recent breakdown of every team's dream offseason trade, it was Moore who topped the list for Chicago.

David Banks-Imagn Images

"The Chicago Bears have a crowded pass-catching group, and DJ Moore's receiving numbers have been on the decline since 2023," Bleacher Report's Moe Moton wrote. "Don't expect Moore's production to trend back in the right direction as wideout Luther Burden III and tight end Colston Loveland gain experience in head coach Ben Johnson's offense. After seeing 140 targets in 2024, he saw 85 targets last season."

Indeed, Moore's role diminished in 2025. However, he remained one of the team's biggest playmakers and came up clutch multiple times with games on the line.

Unfortunately, the NFL doesn't always reward players for what they've done. It's more about what they can provide moving forward. For Moore, his best contribution to the Bears in 2026 and beyond might have nothing to do with on-field production.

"Nonetheless, Rome Odunze, Burden and Loveland are all younger than 25," Moton wrote. "They're the present and future of the Bears' passing attack. Chicago can potentially flip Moore for a third-rounder and use the pick on a defensive prospect."

Whether or not a third-round pick is enough to move the Bears off of Moore is yet to be seen.

Don't expect the Chicago Bears to trade DJ Moore before draft weekend. As wide-receiver-needy teams strike out on the top 2026 free agents, desperation to add a player like Moore will increase. And the offers will get better.

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

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