Getty DJ Moore of the Chicago Bears.
Throughout the 2023 season, wide receiver DJ Moore made a significant impact in his first year with the Chicago Bears.
Moore set career highs with 96 receptions for 1,364 yards (14.2 yards per catch) and eight touchdowns over 17 games, leading the team in all major receiving categories.
But so far, through the team’s first eight games in 2024, it’s not going near as smoothly. With the season already halfway over, Moore has hauled in 37 passes on 60 targets for 374 yards (10.1 yards per catch) and 3 TDs. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune believes offensive coordinator Shane Waldron’s inability to get Moore better incorporated into the offense has been a glaring issue for the team.
“For whatever reasons — plural — the Bears haven’t been able to make things click yet for Moore under offensive coordinator Shane Waldron,” Biggs wrote on November 4. “And that has to be of concern as it involves a player who was rewarded during training camp with a four-year, $110 million contract extension that includes $81.525 million guaranteed.”
OC Shane Waldron Has Had Difficulties Getting DJ Moore, Bears Offense, Going
To be clear, no one in the Bears offense is having a stellar season. That’s a huge issue considering the playmakers they have.
“It’s not like the Bears can claim that defenses have rolled coverage to Moore with such frequency that there haven’t been opportunities,” Biggs noted. “If that were the case, there would be consistent one-on-one matchups that make it easier for Rome Odunze, Keenan Allen, Cole Kmet or whoever to pile up big numbers. That hasn’t been the case either.”
Still, considering Moore’s abilities coupled with his current contract, getting him going should be a top priority for Waldron.
One of the more connected and dialed in insiders covering the team, Biggs asked an NFL scout for his opinion on what’s happening with Moore, and the scout had some interesting thoughts.
NFL Scout Breaks Down How Shane Waldron Can Help DJ Moore
“If you are Shane Waldron, you have to design plays specifically for him to get the football,” the scout told Biggs. “There should be an area of his call sheet that says, ‘Get the ball to DJ.’ And there has got to be four or five plays that you trust that you know are going to work and they’re easy throws for the quarterback. Inside slants, dig routes, throwing a fade when you’ve got a defined one-on-one situation.”
The scout also explained why the quick screens the team has thrown to Moore aren’t working.
“He should be the primary target on shot plays,” he said about Moore. “I think they’ve tried. It seems their go-to answer too often is to throw him a wide receiver screen. Wide receiver screens are not as easy as they look and the defenses are too fast. They are excellent at cutting off the ball and they’ll tackle.”
Then, he provided some specific examples of who Waldron could emulate when putting together plays for Moore, specifically:
You have to look at how Cooper Kupp gets the ball all the time. Kupp rarely sees press coverage because he’s in reduced sets. He’s in bunch formations. He’s moving before the snap and Sean McVay does a great job of giving him free access off the ball, and now he’s doing the same exact thing for Puka Nacua. These guys are not elite-frame guys at the line of scrimmage. They have great feet and they have great hands and they’re really good route runners. They’re getting a jump start over everyone else because offensive coordinators are giving them a free run off the football and they can get to top speed and they’re not getting rerouted. That is a big part of it too. How you align your guys means everything.
Still, there’s more than just stats. Since joining the Bears, Moore has shown himself to be an exemplary leader both on and off the field. His approach to leadership has been grounded in his steady and even-keeled demeanor. He has also displayed toughness, resilience and a strong commitment to team success, as opposed to caring much about individual accolades.
If Waldron is smart, he’ll find ways to get Moore involved on a more consistent basis. If that doesn’t happen, it could turn into a long season for Bears Nation.
Beth Mishler-Elmore Beth Mishler-Elmore is a Heavy sports contributor based in the Midwest, focusing on the NFL, NBA and WNBA. More about Beth Mishler-Elmore
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