Patriots rival makes big wide receiver addition

The first big wide receiver addition in the AFC East has been made - by the New England Patriots' biggest rival. On Thursday morning, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the Buffalo Bills are acquiring wideout D.J. Moore from the Chicago Bears.

Exact compensation was not immediately reported, although NFL Network's Ian Rapoport shared that "a mid-round pick" is going back to Chicago in the deal. The deal can not be made official.

UPDATE: The full trade is Moore and a fifth-round pick going to Buffalo, with a second-round pick going back to Chicago per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

This trade comes as they look to upgrade the talent around quarterback Josh Allen after struggling at the position the last few years. Last season the team's most productive wideout was Khalil Shakir, who caught 72 passes for 719 yards. No other receiver on the team had more than 38 catches or 404 yards (both Keon Coleman).

Last season in Chicago Moore caught 50 passes for 682 yards and six touchdowns in 17 games, as a reduced role in the offense saw his numbers dip. Moore's last 1,000-yard season came in 2023, when he caught 96 passes for 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns in his first year in Chicago after being acquired via trade from the Carolina Panthers. The 2018 first-round pick turns 29 in April.

Buffalo had been liked to multiple top receivers so far this offseason, including some of the same name as the Patriots. Now, the Patriots could have less competition in those markets. That should be the case for the trade market for Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown, with ESPN's Ian Rapoport noting this deal "knocks [Buffalo] out of that sweepstakes."

After releasing Stefon Diggs on Wednesday, the Patriots still should be looking to make a comparable move. Wideouts they've been linked to include Brown and expected free agent Alec Pierce.