DJ Moore pens heartfelt farewell message to Panthers after trade to Bears
The 2023 NFL Draft was shaken up in a big way earlier this week, as the Chicago Bears moved out of the No. 1 overall pick in a trade with the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers parted ways with multiple draft selections, but also gave up wide receiver D.J. Moore to move up to the top pick.
Moore has had a productive five-year NFL career to date, which has been spent entirely in Carolina. He originally joined the Panthers as a rookie in 2018 after being selected with the No. 24 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Maryland.
During his time in Carolina, Moore not only became one of the NFL’s best wide receivers, but also a Panthers fan favorite. Many fans in Carolina were less than thrilled with Moore’s inclusion in the trade. But even after being part of the blockbuster trade, Moore has nothing but love for the Panthers.
“I am forever grateful for the Carolina Panthers Organization for making my Dream come true by drafting me in ‘18,” Moore said in a tweet on Sunday. “I want to Thank all of the people from top down who have made the start of this journey special for me in Carolina.
“Thank You & Much Love.”
Moore Trade Fills Major Void For Bears
Moving forward, Moore becomes the needed go-to wide receiver for Justin Fields with the Bears. In Moore, Chicago is getting quite the player to fill that void. In his five NFL seasons, Moore has 364 receptions on 616 targets for 5,201 yards and 21 touchdowns. He is a three-time 1,000-yard receiver, with those years coming in a great stretch from 2019-2021.
In 2022, Moore had 63 receptions for 888 yards and seven touchdowns. The Panthers cycled through a variety of quarterbacks throughout the season.
In addition to adding Moore, the Bears are loading up on draft picks. Chicago now holds the No. 9 overall pick while also picking up the No. 61 overall pick in the second round this year. The Bears also own the Panthers’ first-round pick in 2024 and their second-round pick in 2025.
Carolina is now on the clock, should they hold onto the draft’s top selection. It is widely expected that the Panthers will finally bring in their next quarterback of the future in either Alabama’s Bryce Young or Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud.