The New England Patriots are now in the wide receiver market after releasing Stefon Diggs on Wednesday. Chicago Bears wideout DJ Moore shouldn’t be at the top of their list.
In a story published Wednesday morning before New England released Diggs, CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones reported, “The Patriots could be a landing spot for Moore if the Bears do a deal involving the WR.”
The Patriots could acquire Moore — who is entering the third year of a four-year, $110M deal in 2026 with a $28.5M cap hit — for a Day 2 pick. WR is clearly a need for the Patriots, but they should explore other options before trying to acquire the 2018 first-round pick. Doing so could be a downgrade.
Why acquiring DJ Moore after release of Stefon Diggs would be downgrade for Patriots
It’s no secret Diggs can be problematic. He regularly bickered with QB Josh Allen in his final two seasons with the Buffalo Bills before they sent him to the Houston Texans in the 2024 offseason. A controversial video of him with an alleged pink substance also surfaced last offseason.
But sometimes he’s worth the headache. Four-time Pro Bowler Diggs ranked 12th in the NFL in receptions (85) and 16th in receiving yards (1,013) in 2025. That marked the seventh time the wideout surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in his 11-year career.
Moore is solid but not on the same tier as Diggs. He hasn’t had 1,000 receiving yards or more since the 2023 season. In 2025, the pass-catcher logged career lows in receptions (50) and receiving yards (682). Patriots TE Hunter Henry (768) had more receiving yards than he did last season.
The recent decline could be tied to a QB change. Moore played with Justin Fields (now with the New York Jets) in his first two seasons in Chicago before it traded him to the Pittsburgh Steelers and replaced him with Caleb Williams. The 2024 No. 1 overall pick is more talented than Fields, but it takes time for a passer and a pass-catcher to build chemistry.
Advanced stats, however, show Moore may be a declining player. Per Pro Football Focus, he averaged a career-low 1.22 yards per route run in 2025. Yards per route run divides receiving yards by the number of routes a player runs to calculate their efficiency.
The Patriots should instead target Philadelphia Eagles WR A.J. Brown. The NFC East team reportedly wants a first- and second-rounder for the three-time Pro Bowler, but he could be worth that price. He had 1,003 receiving yards in 15 regular-season games in 2025.
Brown would give the Patriots an upgrade after cutting Diggs. Moore would provide the opposite.