As Ben Johnson takes over as head coach, he is expected to introduce his dynamic offense to the Chicago Bears. More often than not, that’ll mean getting the ball into DJ Moore’s hands.
The wide receiver has been a stalwart of Chicago’s offense since joining the team by trade in 2023. He led the team with 140 targets in 2024. But even with Moore’s production, the Bears finished still finished the season ranked dead last in total offense, averaging 284.6 yards per game.
To help add another element to Chicago’s game, Johnson has been having Moore take reps out of the backfield. Learning the fundamentals of Johnson’s offense is difficult enough, but now rushing responsibilities are being placed on Moore’s plate. The wide receiver admits it is a difficult transition, but is willing to do whatever it takes to help the Bears succeed, via Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times.
“Just be an athlete at this point,’’ he said. ‘‘Just do it all and just attack it.’’
DJ Moore remains No. 1 WR in Chicago Bears’ new-look offense
Having your versatile wide receiver take handoffs out of the backfield has been experimented by numerous teams across the league. Perhaps most famously, the San Francisco 49ers had Deebo Samuel rush 202 times for 1,143 yards and 20 touchdowns over his six years with the team. While not as extreme, Johnson had Jameson Williams rush 11 times for 61 yards and a touchdown in his final year with the Detroit Lions. It appears the head coach wants to dig into that part of his bag of tricks once again.
Moore has received 57 carries over his seven-year career, gaining 431 yards and a touchdown, showing he does have some experience in the run game. With the Bears failing to add a big name running back during the offseason, they could turn to the wide receiver more often if they need a spark.
But that won’t change his crucial role in the passing game as well. Since joining the Bears, Moore has made 194 receptions for 2,330 yards and 14 touchdowns. Chicago may have a crowded receiving room with rookies Luther Burden and Colston Loveland joining the fray. But Moore is still undoubtedly the top receiver on the depth chart.
As training camp continues, it’ll be telling to see if Johnson has Moore consistently working out of the backfield. Regardless, the Bears have a clear goal of getting the ball into the wide receiver’s hands.
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