A couple of years ago, Chicago Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney looked to be on the verge of a breakout. Now, it appears that he could be on his way out of town. A team like the New England Patriots would very likely have interest in trading for him before the deadline.
In 2021, Mooney hauled in 81 receptions for 1,055 yards and four touchdowns, stamping his name on the radar for up-and-coming NFL wide outs.
However, the 25-year-old was a massive disappointment last season, finishing with just 40 catches for 493 yards and a couple of scores in 12 games before bowing out with an ankle injury.
Mooney hasn’t gotten off to a much better start in 2023, logging just four grabs for 53 yards and a touchdown through the first three weeks.
That being said, in Mooney’s defense, the Bears’ aerial attack as a whole has slumped due much in part to the struggles of young quarterback Justin Fields and a coaching staff that does not seem to be on the same page as Fields.
Could this result in Chicago ultimately moving Mooney ahead of the Oct. 31 NFL trade deadline?
Mooney is in the final year of his deal, and at this point, it doesn’t seem like a sure thing that the Bears will re-sign him, especially given his recent lack of production. It might behoove Chicago to deal him away in the coming weeks to recoup some value before he walks via free agency in the spring.
Should the Bears place Mooney on the trade block, the Patriots are team that could potentially get involved.
The Patriots have a decent group of receivers led by JuJu Smith-Schuster, Devante Parker and Kendrick Bourne. Still, they could absolutely use more firepower in their passing game.
New England could send a 2024 third-round draft pick to Chicago in exchange for Darnell Mooney, providing the Bears with some draft capital while also landing a young receiver that could potentially form a long-term connection with quarterback Mac Jones.
