Caleb Williams has been anointed as the man who will finally bring an end to the Chicago Bears' generations-long search for a prototypical franchise quarterback.
D.J. Moore has seemingly already done that at wide receiver, a position in which pass catchers have long toiled in Chicago.
Following a sensational debut season in 2023 and a blockbuster extension on Tuesday, Moore believes he's blazed past that narrative.
"When I got here, (the narrative) was a thing," he said, via the Chicago Sun-Times' Patrick Finley. "And then when the season was progressing the way it was, I was just like, 'Yeah, we can throw that out the window now.'"
Moore posted career-high tallies of 96 receptions, 1,364 receiving yards and eight touchdown catches in his first season with Chicago. The yards are fourth all time in a single season for a Bear, while the catches are eighth (the TDs are tied for 15th).
How quickly Moore ascended up the ranks provides ample statistical evidence of the Bears' trademark wide receiver struggles, which have obviously been hindered by so many seasons of uncertainty at quarterback. Chicago remains the only current NFL franchise to have never had a quarterback throw more 4,000 yards or 30 touchdowns in a season, after all.
A year ago, Moore had more catches, yards and TDs than every other Bears WR combined. It's very unlikely that will be the case again this year with the additions of veteran Pro Bowler Keenan Allen and rookie first-rounder Rome Odunze.
However, that doesn't mean Moore's personal dusting of the Chi-Town WR narrative is done.
Despite having four 1,000-yard seasons to his resume, Moore's never been voted to a Pro Bowl. No Bears receiver has since 2013 when Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall each received all-star recognition.
Moore could also become the first Bear with back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns since Allen Robinson in 2019-2020.
Following Tuesday's four-year, $210 million extension, Moore is on the books for the Bears through 2029. Thus, he could also knock down one of the Bears' most head-scratching records.
Johnny Morris, who won an NFL championship with Chicago in 1963, grabbed the NFL receiving triple crown in 1964 and played from 1958-1967 with the franchise, remains the Bears' all-time leader in receiving yards. The tally is just 5,059 yards.
Should Moore perform as his contract suggests he's expected, Mr. Morris' record might finally fall.
Then again, Moore wasn't ever too worried about his game slowing down in Chicago.
"I heard that coming here," the 27-year-old said. "I wasn't paying it no mind. I was like, 'Shoot, I'm still young. Maybe when they was all older, they was dying off.'"
Optimism and the WR corps are most certainly alive and well in Chicago.
