Bears predicted to cut ties with $110 million veteran in 2026 offseason

The Chicago Bears' 2025 season came to a heartbreaking end in the divisional round, as Ben Johnson's squad fell to the Los Angeles Rams in overtime.

Though Chicago failed to reach the NFC Championship game and lost on their home turf on Sunday, it was still an incredibly successful season for the Bears, as the franchise won the NFC North for the first time since 2018 and tallied a playoff victory.

However, Chicago can't be complacent, especially with quarterback Caleb Williams showing that he can be the franchise quarterback. As a result, general manager Ryan Poles is predicted to make a tough, but logical decision this offseason on one of the team's top offensive players.

ESPN's Ben Solak believes it's time for the Bears to move on from wide receiver DJ Moore and hand the keys in the receiver room over to their young playmakers, Rome Odunze and Luther Burden.

"The Bears will trade wide receiver DJ Moore, as the future of the position seems set with Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III. Most of Moore's money is tied up in salary, not bonuses, which makes it palatable for Chicago to trade him even with four years left on his contract. At 29, he should still be enticing to teams in need of veteran WR play," Solak wrote.

Simply put, Moore isn't living up to his $110 million contract. The veteran tallied just 50 receptions for 682 yards and six touchdowns in 2025, and hasn't posted a 1,000-yard campaign since 2023.

Chicago could save up to $24.5 million this offseason by moving off Moore, and with the team sitting at negative cap space, they would be foolish not to at least consider moving on from the 29-year-old.

Moore has provided a lot of excitement during his time with the Bears, but it's clear both sides need to move on. Chicago has a ton of young talent ready to break out in the receiver group, and it just doesn't make much sense to keep Moore on the roster moving forward with the contract he's on.