D.J. Moore reacts to contract extension, wants Allen to re-up with Bears |
LAKE FOREST, I.L. - On Tuesday, July 30, wide receiver DJ Moore signed a four-year, $110 million contract extension to lock him in with the Bears until 2030. This contract included $82.6 million guaranteed and is the largest extension in Bears franchise history.
“Getting traded here probably was one of the best things. I had one of the best years that I ever had, and then I got a new deal and made history with the Bears. So, I’m happy,” Moore said. “Security, the guaranteed money, was awesome. So, that was the main part that I loved out of the whole thing.” Despite the large figure of his contract, Moore is only the seventh-highest-paid receiver in the NFL in terms of average salary. Furthermore, he was not at a point where he needed to renegotiate his previous contract, as he still had two years left. However, with how he played last season, with career-highs in receiving yards (1,364), receiving touchdowns (eight), and catch percentage (70.6 percent), Moore felt he played better than his previous contract paid him for. “I felt like I outplayed that one due to the fact that the money that was for this year was kind of low and then just (the) play that I had last year and it proved that I’m worthy of (15) plus that was on the table at the time,” Moore said. “I wasn’t really in that mindset to go to the top, top. So, I was just like, ‘All right, what’s a good number, and let’s go from there.’” Moore’s five seasons with the Carolina Panthers were tumultuous, playing with numerous different quarterbacks each season and on an offense that struggled. Going into last season, the Bears did not seem like they would be much better for Moore and while his departure from Carolina was sudden, he says he has experienced “nothing but love” in Chicago, part of why he signed the contract extension. “The organization embraced me as soon as I got here,” Moore said. From the time that I got traded to the time that ink got on that paper, it’s been nothing but love, and I continue to hope that it’s always going to be that way. I’m going to go out there and keep putting my best foot forward.” Chicago has been diligent about securing their star players to long contracts. Moore is now secured through 2029, while rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and rookie receiver Rome Odunze are signed through 2028. Numerous other offensive players are signed on multi-year contracts as well. One key exception to that is receiver Keenan Allen, who is in the last year of his contract. Moore has already taken up trying to convince Allen to sign an extension of his own. “I already (am doing) that now. I did that (Tuesday),” Moore said. “I was like, ‘Man, listen. What’s your number? Let’s get it done.’ … I think we could get it done. So, it should be interesting.” With the way the wide receiver market is trending, it was smart on Chicago’s part to sign Moore to a contract extension now before the price of such an extension increased anymore. By the same logic, it would be smart to sign Allen to an extension as well so it does not become more costly. However, given he is five years older than Moore, his extension probably would not be as long. No matter the contract situation for anyone on the Bears, the essential goal for everyone in Chicago is to win. “We got to go out there and win starting with the division, then go from there,” Moore said. “That’s always the main goal of the season and thus forth. So, I’m looking forward to it.”
