Are the Bears Entering a New Era at Wide Receiver?
The Chicago Bears will face crucial offseason questions that could reshape the passing game. Throughout the 2025 season, young players flashed their potential and helped reinvent the offense. While no pass catchers had eye-popping stats, the team had four players surpass 600 receiving yards. Although the wave of young talent is encouraging, it does create uncomfortable discussion around some of the veterans on the team.
Despite entering the season as the veteran in the receiving room, D.J. Moore is coming off one of the least productive years of his career. The 28-year-old recorded 50 catches, 682 yards, and six touchdowns. The receptions and yards totals are both the lowest in his career. In addition to the lack of production, many fans questioned his effort at times, most notably on the interception in the overtime loss to the Rams that ended the Bears' season. The combination of these factors has left many wondering about his future with the team, as he had been included in trade rumors as the team looks to free up cap space.
If the Bears decide to move on from Moore, then they will need their young stars to step up to the next level. The first name that comes up is Rome Odunze. The former ninth overall pick had an up-and-down season. Throughout the first few weeks, he operated as the top target on the team. The rest of the season did not go as well as he struggled with injuries, dropped passes, and a lack of targets. In his second season with the team, he had 44 catches on 90 targets, resulting in 661 yards and six touchdowns. If he can become more consistent and decrease the number of drops, then he has all of the necessary skills to fill the top receiver role.
After Odunze, rookie Luther Burden III would be the next man up. Burden was selected in the second round and had low expectations to begin the season due to the talent on the team. He ended up heating up near the end of the season and became one of the more consistent options in the passing game. He ended his rookie year with 47 catches, 652 yards, and two touchdowns. The 22-year-old also offers unique abilities that the other receivers on the team do not have, and that is his game-changing speed and agility. Every time he got the ball in his hands, he was a threat to break free and create big plays. If he can build on his rookie year, then Chicago would have a dangerous receiving duo for years to come.
Moving on from Moore is not a simple call to make. His veteran leadership and toughness are some of his biggest strengths. Throughout the season, he also showed his elite talent and played a crucial part in multiple wins. However, when teams have limited cap space, tough calls need to be made. The young talent on the team has proved to be more than capable of carrying the load. If Chicago chooses to embrace the youth, then the foundation is in place for the offense to take a step forward without sacrificing long-term stability.
