Respect for Bears WRs continues in this ranking of NFL’s top 32

The last time the Chicago Bears had a wide receiver corps as exciting as the one they’ll field in 2024 was way back in 2013 when the duo of Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery was considered the best in the NFL. Marshall finished that season with 100 catches for 1,295 yards and 12 touchdowns, while Jeffery accounted for a career-high 89 catches for 1,421 yards and seven scores.

Marshall went on to have better individual seasons for Chicago, but that 2013 season was arguably the best one-two punch the Bears ever fielded.

The combination of DJ Moore and Keenan Allen this season could end that run.

Allen is a surefire future Hall-of-Famer, and Moore is fresh off his career-best season in 2023 when he caught 96 passes for 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns. The tandem has ten 1,000-yard seasons between them, and with a quarterback as talented as Caleb Williams throwing them the ball this year, there’s a good chance they’ll both top that number with ease again.

In a recent ranking of the NFL’s top 32 receivers entering the 2024 campaign, Allen and Moore made the cut.

Allen checked in at No. 27.

“Even at age 32, the reliable veteran is coming off a 1,200-yard season and will fit that power slot role perfectly in Shane Waldron’s offense,” USA Today’s Jarrett Bailey wrote.

Keenan Allen is a rare breed of player. Most receivers begin that slippery trek down the backside of their career at his age, but Allen’s skill set will allow him to produce at a high level for a least a couple more seasons. He’s a truly elite route-runner who doesn’t rely on long speed to win. Instead, his mastery of the art of playing the position will keep him among the most productive receivers in the league.

Keenan Allen Slant Cut-Up

Few things to note:
-Master of changing tempo, “tempo to twitch”
-Eats up space when cover defender provides it
-Leaves space to avoid collision at top
-Snaps his pressure steps when cover defender hipped

Elite of the elite in regard to route running. pic.twitter.com/6vzzWfWKQ8

— Mike Vannucci (@WRCoachVannucci) March 2, 2023

Meanwhile, DJ Moore cracks the top 10 and ranks No. 9 on USA Today’s list.

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“It’s amazing to think that Moore has four 1,000-yard seasons and two 90-catch seasons when you also think of the quarterbacks he’s played with,” Bailey wrote. “Justin Fields and Moore seemed to be developing a chemistry a year ago, but then Fields got hurt, and the reigns went to Tyson Bagent for a bit. Even so, Moore put up new career highs in receptions, yards, and touchdowns.”

I’ll admit, even I was slightly surprised by how productive Moore was in 2023. The odds were definitely stacked against him, considering Justin Fields’ struggles as a passer and the fact that Bagent was forced into the starting lineup for a few weeks. But that’s a testament to just how good (or, great?) Moore is. Like Allen, he’s a fantastic route-runner who’s still in the prime years of his “twitch” and “juice.” He plays much bigger than his frame, too. Few defensive backs can snag the ball away from Moore in contested situations.

DJ Moore reminds me so much of Stefon Diggs. Both Maryland grads, similar builds (Moore actually has 20 pounds on him). Can make the contested catch or make guys miss in the open field #Bears pic.twitter.com/QNLn42cBVK

— Josh Frydman (@Josh_Frydman) October 6, 2023

Chicago Bears fans have waited a long time for this. And by this, I mean a modern offense with an exciting quarterback with a trio (let’s not forget about Rome Odunze!) of talented players to throw to. Even though the 2024 season is still a few months away, confidence in this Bears team and this Bears offense continues to grow.