For the first time since the 2023 season, Buffalo is heading into a year with a true No. 1 receiver in place. That alone changes the conversation around the Bills’ passing game, because from 2020 through 2023, Stefon Diggs filled that role and helped Josh Allen grow into the quarterback he is today. After Diggs was traded to the Houston Texans during the 2024 offseason, Buffalo was left without that same kind of centerpiece.
Now the Bills are turning to DJ Moore, whom they acquired from the Chicago Bears. The fit made sense on paper: Chicago had plenty of other playmakers, Buffalo needed a real top target, and Moore already had familiarity with Joe Brady. Even so, the move drew plenty of skepticism when it became clear the Bills had given up a second-round pick for him.
That reaction is understandable on the surface. Moore’s last two seasons in Chicago weren’t his best.
But there’s more to the story than that stretch alone. He had already shown what he can do with Brady back in Carolina, and in his first season with the Bears he cleared 1,300 yards with Justin Fields throwing him the ball.
Now he lands in Buffalo as the unquestioned top option, which should give him a real chance to thrive. At the same time, the expectations are immediate. This is not a situation where he gets a long runway to settle in.
Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus recently included Moore on a list of ten make-or-break players entering the season, and the reasoning fits the moment in Buffalo.
" Buffalo’s offense ranked second in EPA per play in 2025, but the team’s receiving corps was a real problem. Bills wideouts earned the 24th-ranked PFF receiving grade, including tying for the eighth-most drops of any unit." said Locker.
" Bills general manager Brandon Beane acquired Moore from the Bears in exchange for a second-round pick, a price that was met with skepticism given how Moore played in 2025 as well as his monstrous contract. Indeed, Moore’s 67.9 receiving grade and 1.24 yards per route run were both career lows, and he regularly seemed out of sync with Caleb Williams." Locker added.
Moore’s dip in production in Chicago also came with context. The Bears added more weapons over the last two seasons, bringing in Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, and Colston Loveland, so the target share was never going to look the same.
Ben Johnson also took over as head coach, and his scheme simply did not suit Moore. That part is fine.
The bigger point is that Moore knows Brady’s system and fits it well.
With Buffalo still operating in a championship window, the pressure comes with the territory. The Bills are counting on Moore to deliver, and a lot of eyes will be on how quickly he and Allen can build something that resembles the connection Allen once had with Diggs in the early 2020s.
In Other News...
Bills Fans Need To Know What's Different Before Camp Starts
Bills training camp is about to look a little different this summer, and the changes start with the schedule. The team will open camp at St. John Fisher University with seven morning practices running from July 29 through Aug. 7, all of them set for 8:30 a.m. and none in the afternoon or evening. For fans who make the trip, there will also be a new routine to follow, including shuttle parking, a $1 ride fee, security screening and a stricter bag policy.
The shorter camp slate stands out on its own, especially for a team that has made Fisher a summer tradition since 2000. There will still be plenty for families to do once they get there, with a Kids Area offering football-themed games and entertainment, but the overall feel is clearly more streamlined than in past years. For a fan base that treats camp like the unofficial start of football season, those small changes may end up being part of the story all by themselves. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Fans Suddenly Have A Real Question About Michael Hoecht
Buffalo has spent years trying to put together a pass rush that can hold up from one season to the next, and Michael Hoecht looked like a useful piece of that puzzle after signing with the Bills in 2025. The outside linebacker brought the kind of versatility this defense values, with the ability to line up in different spots and in different stances, which made him an intriguing fit for a unit that has kept searching for the right combination up front.
Hoechts early work also suggested there was something to build on before his season was cut short. He had already flashed against Carolina and Kansas City, and now the real question for the Bills is whether that promise can carry over once he gets back on the field. He is rehabbing with an eye on 2026, and for a team that has invested so much in finding answers off the edge, his return could end up mattering more than it first seemed. [Read more 🡒]
James Cook Just Got The Recognition Bills Fans Wanted
James Cook has gone from a promising piece of Buffalos offense to one of its most dependable engines, and the recognition is starting to match the production. Since becoming the starter, he has topped 1,000 rushing yards in three straight seasons, and his role has only grown as the Bills have leaned on him to keep the offense balanced around Josh Allen. NFL.com analyst Kevin Patra recently put a label on what Bills fans have seen for a while, naming Cook the teams non-QB MVP.
The case is easy to make when you look at how often Cook has tilted games in Buffalos favor over the last two seasons, including some of the best stretches of his career. He led the league in rushing touchdowns in 2024 and has already given the Bills the kind of week-to-week stability teams usually have to pay a premium for, which makes the timing of his contract extension before the 2025 season feel especially important as his value keeps climbing. [Read more 🡒]