Bills, Bears Updated Salary Cap, NFL Draft Picks After Reported DJ Moore Trade

The Chicago Bears opened up significant salary cap space Thursday by reportedly trading wide receiver DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills.

According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the Bills agreed to send a 2026 second-round draft pick to Chicago in exchange for Moore and a 2026 fifth-rounder.

Per Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com, the trade opens $16.5 million in cap space for the Bears, while the Bills are assuming Moore's $24.5 million salary in 2026 and $15.5 million guaranteed in 2027.

Based on those figures and the cap space chart on OverTheCap.com, the trade takes Chicago from $7.5 million over the cap to $9 million under the cap, while the $24.5 million cap hit takes Buffalo from $8.3 million over the cap to $32.8 million over.

Spotrac broke down the remainder of Moore's contract, which runs through 2029, noting that $23 million of his $24.5 million salary in 2026 is guaranteed:

Also, Spotrac noted that there is an easy way for the Bills to create cap space despite taking on Moore's contract, as a full salary conversion would drop Moore's cap hit to $6.75 million and create $17.7 million in cap space in 2026.

Following the trade, the Bears' picks in the 2026 NFL draft are as follows, per Tankathon:

• First Round: 25th overall
• Second Round: 57th overall
• Second Round: 60th overall
• Third Round: 89th overall
• Fourth Round: 129th overall
• Seventh Round: 238th overall
• Seventh Round: 240th overall

Meanwhile, the Bills' collection of 2026 NFL draft picks looks like this:

• First Round: 26th overall
• Third Round: 91st overall
• Fourth Round: 126th overall
• Fifth Round: 164th overall
• Fifth Round: 167th overall
• Seventh Round: 219th overall
• Seventh Round: 227th overall

Moore, 28, spent the past three seasons in Chicago following a five-year run with the Carolina Panthers.

From 2019 to 2023, Moore reached the 1,000-yard mark four times in five seasons, including a career-high 1,364 yards in his first season with the Bears in 2023.

His yardage total dropped to 966 in 2024, but he did record a career-high 98 receptions, as the Bears employed a conservative offense during quarterback Caleb Williams' rookie season.

Last season, Moore set career lows with 50 catches and 682 yards, although he scored six receiving touchdowns and also rushed for 79 yards and a score.

Under head coach Ben Johnson, the Bears spread the ball around on offense with five players having between 39 and 58 catches, and four players having between 652 and 713 yards.

Moore tied for the team lead in touchdown catches, though, and he was second on the team in both catches and yards, but first among wideouts.

He was also impactful during the playoffs, catching 11 passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns in two postseason games, including what proved to be the game-winning touchdown in the NFC Wild Card Round against the rival Green Bay Packers.

While there is risk involved with the trade for Buffalo since Moore comes with a sizable contract, the Bills desperately needed a reliable, No. 1 target for superstar quarterback Josh Allen.

Buffalo has not had that since trading Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans prior to the 2024 season, but Moore brings plenty of experience and high-level production to the table for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.