DJ Moore Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

D.J. Moore reacts to blockbuster Bears-Panthers trade

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated 3/11/23

It's safe to say D.J. Moore was taken aback by Friday's blockbuster trade that sent the young wideout and a boatload of draft assets from the Carolina Panthers to the Chicago Bears in exchange for the No. 1 overall pick in April's NFL Draft.

Shortly after news of the trade broke, Moore took to social media, posting not one, but two shocked face emojis.

— DJ Moore (@idjmoore) March 10, 2023

The acquisition of Moore makes the Bears' offense—led by dynamic quarterback Justin Fields—suddenly dangerous. Moore joins a young wide receiving core which could make some noise in 2023. As of right now, the Bears' top four wideouts are 25-and-under, including Moore (25), Darnell Mooney (25), Chase Claypool (24) and Cole Kmet (24).

While the draft picks the Bears received in Friday's deal are impressive enough, adding Moore is a tremendous feather in the cap of general manager Ryan Poles.

Moore had a down year in 2022, primarily due to the quarterback carousel in Carolina. The 25-year-old caught only 63 passes for 888 yards, Moore's lowest output since his rookie season in 2018, when he finished with 55 catches for 788 yards. While some of Moore's stats dropped last season, he did make the most of his opportunities, notching a career-high seven touchdowns.

Despite last season's decline, Moore has proven effective over his five seasons in the NFL.

Selected by the Panthers with the No. 24 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Maryland, Moore leaves Carolina ranked among the top five in franchise history with 364 catches (5th), 5,201 yards (4th), and 21 touchdowns (5th).

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