Darnell Mooney received the expectation of taking over the No. 1 pass catcher spot last season with Allen Robinson leaving the Bears in free agency.
He didn't exactly live up to that proposition. While an ankle injury ended his season late in the year, the third-year wide receiver failed to catch over 500 yards, despite recording over 1,000 yards the season prior.
Now, he'll likely assume a secondary pass-catching option with newly acquired D.J. Moore in the receiver room. Mooney's excited to start working with Moore either way.
"I'm excited to add DJ to our room," Mooney said to ChicagoBears.com. "Anytime we can add a playmaker to our offense, it makes us all better, and I can't wait to get to work with him. We all get a full offseason in this scheme and another year to build on our chemistry with Justin [Fields], so I think the sky's the limit for our offense."
MORE: D.J. Moore on joining Bears: 'It's going to be real special'
Mooney's assessment of the Bears' offensive situation is optimistic, yet realistic. They finally have a reputable wide receiver core in place and an entire offseason to prepare. Chase Claypool didn't have that luxury last season.
It'll be interesting to see how Luke Getsy draws up the Bears' offense this season. They're coming off a season where the offense was heavily invested in the ground game. The Bears set a franchise record for single-season rushing yards, recording over 3,000 yards.
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The offensive plan also entailed Fields using his legs prolifically, as shown by the 1,100 yards he ran for last season. Hopefully, the inclusion of Moore and the well-roundedness of the Bears' receiver room adds a wrinkle in the offense.
"I'm excited to add a guy like DJ to our offense," Fields said. "He's proven he can be an explosive playmaker in this league, and I look forward to getting to work with him and the rest of our receivers so we can take the next step as an offense. I've gotten to know him a little bit and I know he's ready to put the work in to help our team win. I can't wait to get our whole group on the field together and see how we can put it all together."
Expectations are starting to rise for the Bears and their offense.
However, the offseason is far from over. The Bears are still navigating free agency and are weeks away from the NFL draft, where they hold the No. 9 overall pick in the draft.
There's plenty of work to be done before the offseason work begins on the field. But the Bears are cooking something special, and Moore can smell it from his side of the kitchen.
"It's going to be real special," Moore told ChicagoBears.com. "I'm glad to be a part of the groundwork that's being laid. And to just build that foundation of winning, it's going to be something special."