The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves in an all-too-familiar situation after trading George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday in a blockbuster deal. But could they remedy that issue with a Chicago Bears wide receiver?
After spending a year searching for an adequate running mate for Pickens, Pittsburgh struck a deal with the Seattle Seahawks for DK Metcalf. However, cutting Pickens loose puts the Steelers back to square one at the position.
Meanwhile, in Chicago, the Bears drafted Luther Burden in the second round of the 2025 NFL draft, which was led some to believe it’s possible that the team could part ways with veteran wideout DJ Moore.
In the wake of the Pickens deal and speculation in Chicago about Moore, Last Word on Sports’ Liam Rebellato proposes a trade between the Bears and Steelers that sends the star wide receiver to Pittsburgh.
“Moore looked frustrated at times last season, and the Bears used high draft capital the last couple years on Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III. He may become available if Chicago is offered a sweet deal,” Reballato wrote.
As Reballato points out, Moore didn’t look happy last season amid his struggles to get on the same page with rookie signal-caller Caleb Williams, which led to a lackluster year for Moore.
Now, the Bears have drafted a receiver who has a similar skill set and they have a new head coach in Ben Johnson, so anything is possible.
Despite typically having a rough quarterback situation year in and year out, Moore has always been productive. Moore has four 1,100-plus-yard seasons under his belt and is one year removed from a career-best campaign with 1,364 yards in 2023.
Moore would be a fantastic complement to Metcalf as someone who can operate in the short-to-intermediate areas over the middle of the field, and he can make plays down the field with his impressive long speed. Defenses would have a tough time accounting for both on any given play.
As far as compensation is concerned, the Steelers would likely have to give up a third-round pick for Moore. Pittsburgh is projected to have a trio of third-round picks in 2026, so they can afford to unload one, especially with their dire need.
Moore has a massive $110 million contract that runs through 2029, but there is an easy out after 2026, so Pittsburgh won’t have to keep him on the books for long if things don’t work out.
We’re hesitant to believe the Bears will actually cut ties with Moore considering the team’s need to surround Williams with talent. But if general manager Ryan Poles is willing to play ball, the Steelers should jump right in.
