Former Maryland WR DJ Moore Provides Insight From Bears Camp

   

Former Maryland Terrapin and current Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore sat down with Bleacher Report Gridiron to discuss the new regime and how new head coach Ben Johnson and his staff are conducting camp in the first week. Moore discussed how the staff has already established a culture of discipline and accountability in the building.

“Uncomfortable,” Moore said. “It’s been the main thing, trying to change the culture around here, and they did it fast, and you can tell how we practice and go about our business.”

The Bears were 5-12, which included a 2-7 record in one-score games in 2024, mostly due to failures to execute on where to line up (the Washington Commanders' Hail Mary play comes to mind) or to get set properly promptly (the final sequence of the Detroit Lions' loss on Thanksgiving). Moore spoke about how players will not receive many chances to get it right.

“The intensity—if you mess up, you’re getting out of there. You get one chance; if you are a double offender, you aren’t going to get in on that play the rest of camp, it feels like.”

To further expand on the new culture that the Bears are trying to instill, Moore was asked about a procedural error that was made by rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III during a recent camp practice, and he was reprimanded by coach Johnson. He offered some insight.

“I was coming back after being talked to, but I did hear Johnson, and I did not know it was Luther, but if I have any advice, I would tell him that you have to be in your playbook and know the exact details. If the playbook says plus two from the hash and you line up at minus one from the hash, then you are wrong. You’re going to have to get out. He will give you a second chance, and you’ll re-huddle it, and if you do it again and line up in the same way, then you’ll definitely be out.”

Moore is trying to improve on his least productive season in 2024 as far as yards per reception (9.9); however, he caught a career-high 98 passes for six touchdowns.

 
Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore (2) scores a touchdown on a reception against the Green Bay Packers in the fourth quarter during their football game Sunday, January 5, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. / Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images