The Carolina Panthers trading for D.J. Moore — the same wide receiver they sent to the Chicago Bears as part of the infamous Bryce Young deal — is the kind of unbelievable offseason rumor fans see almost daily on social media at this time of year.
A reunion? After that trade? Surely not.
It’s ironic. It’s awkward. It might even be a little embarrassing. But it also checks a lot of boxes if the Panthers are looking to make another big splash to improve the weapons around quarterback Bryce Young.
To land the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Carolina paid a historic price. The Bears got Moore, a future first-round pick in 2024, and two second-rounders in addition to the No. 9 pick. When Young struggled through a brutal 2-15 rookie season, that deal was widely labeled one of the worst trades in league history.
Carolina Panthers fans shouldn't get their hopes up around D.J. Moore trade
Fast forward to now, and the narrative isn’t quite so simple.
Young led the Panthers to their first NFC South title in a decade this season. That doesn’t erase the cost of the trade, but it does change the conversation.
The question is no longer whether Carolina botched this move; it’s whether the Panthers can finally maximize the window they’ve opened. General manager Dan Morgan is picking up Young's fifth-year option, so he's got at least one more offseason to put the required pieces in place to aid his encouraging recent growth.
Meanwhile, Moore’s time in Chicago hasn’t quite gone according to plan. After a monster 2023 season in which he finished as the league’s No. 6 receiver with 1,364 yards and earned an 89.0 Pro Football Focus grade, his play (and perception) slipped.
Things got worse after Chicago’s divisional round loss to the Los Angeles Rams. On the final offensive play of the game, Moore appeared open on a potential game-clinching route but drifted wide, leading to a Caleb Williams interception that ended the Bears’ season. The signal-caller later said he expected his wideout to flatten the route.
Carolina’s current receiving room is talented but extremely young: Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker, Xavier Legette, and Jimmy Horn Jr. All have upside. None has Moore’s résumé or experience.
Would it be hilarious to seeMoore back in Carolina after everything that happened? Absolutely.
Would it also be one of the cleanest ways for the Panthers to finally support Young with a legitimate downfield weapon? Just as much.
Sometimes the funniest ideas stick around because they’re rooted in reality. Although there is no confirmed interest, there is no doubt Moore would be welcomed back with open arms if this wild scenario came to fruition.