Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show - It sounds like Ryan Poles is open for business when to comes to DJ Moore

Episode Date: February 24, 2026

Leila Rahimi, Marshall Harris and Mark Grote explained how the Bears seem open to the possibility of trading receiver DJ Moore.

Rahimi Harris and Grotty. Bears tight end, Cole Komet. Cole, welcome to the party, pal. Well, thanks for having me. I heard it was a big day. So naturally, I dropped everything I had going on today. You've complained a lot through the years about not being able to hear the score on the 670 a.m. dial when you're inevitably cruising around downtown. And now that we have an FM signal, Cole, you can now hear the score all day, all the time, all you want. You can hear all the Bears hot takes you want. That's perfect. I'll make sure I blast that in the locker room. Beautiful back!

Rahimi Harrison Grody, Midday's Tyndall 2 on 1043 The Score. This is Rahimi Harrison Grotie on 1043 to score. You know, there's a metaphor about being chosen in this song that may or may not apply because when we talk about the combine, there's a little bit of that process going on. Then there's also the business of what happens to people who are on your team. And I feel like that is very much the discussion going on in Indianapolis. We heard from Ben Johnson. We heard from Ryan Poles.

And then they also had side sessions with reporters talking to them additionally about some of the non-podium questions that everybody wanted to know. I love a little sidepiece. Let's ride. Lunch is over. Time for a little sidepiece. The fun on the Rahimi Harris-Grody show today is on a high level. So this is big. Bair's general manager, Ryan Poles, in one of those side sets.

sessions at the combine today was asked whether the Bears would entertain moving DJ Moore and his contract listen in. I got to have conversations and kind of see what, like I said, the best combination of players we can bring in. We want him here. We think highly of him. He's a great teammate. He's been productive pretty consistently over the last couple of years that he's been here.

So I have nothing but great things to say about him. but this is the time now where we have to look at all the different scenarios and see what can allow us to put the best team out there. And I've talked about this before. It's just, you know, there's relationships there. There's a lot there that make it really, really difficult. But he's a guy we want here, but we have to look at all different scenarios. That may be the most pointed statement Ryan Poles has made to date on DJ Moore.

We did not hear as detailed of a statement from Ben Johnson, but polls also, I feel like, just expanded on kind of where he left off in that season-ending press conference when he did say we have decisions to make there. Mark, I see you nodding. I know you're remembering it as well, but this even sounds less committed than that. And Poles isn't hiding anything in this either. Yep, yep. This was the early part of the end of the season.

press conference where he said was similarly vague. He talked, the only difference was the last time he talked about how this guy is as tough as nails and everybody looks up to him and all that. But there are realities in the NFL. So you're right. Ben Johnson did not say it as loudly, I guess, would be a way to put it right there. But I would also say, and we talked about Ben Johnson earlier, Ben Johnson, as I said, certainly did not rule anything out either as it pertains to DJ Moore.

How would you describe a player that you want to maintain trade value and or possibly bring back into the fold of your own organization? That way? Exactly. That's my point here. Poles is threading that needle pretty well on that question. I definitely understand what you're saying about. He sounded more like it was a possibility for him to be moved, but at the same time, saying, yo, We know what DJ Moore is.

There's a reason I gave them all the money. I mean, that wasn't that long ago. So I am interested to see how this plays out. I'm interested to see the abacus is out at Hallis Hallis Hall. I'm interested to see how they navigate by prioritizing what's the most important, by figuring out what they can live with, by having those internal conversations, Ben Johnson, Dennis Allen. I want to know the formula right now, what they believe.

and then to see how they fulfill the formula once they figure out what they want to do, how close they can get to getting it done that way. Because usually it doesn't work out the way. You can say, I want such and such and such and such and such. And then you settle for, well, we got this, that, and the third. I think DJ Moore is still as it stands right now, the number one receiver on the Bears. DJ Moore made catches that not only won games for this team, but kept them in it. His targets went down.

He can't help that necessarily. So it takes two to tango when it comes to that. aspect of it. He definitely remained. It's a different offense. So that also plays into it. I don't look at it as like he's responsible solely for how his production went this year.

But when he was called upon, you could rely on him more than any other receiver on the team. And that's the point. But additionally, I think Ryan Poles is also understanding the salary cap issue that he's facing right now, largely in part because of players he signed and extended. This is his team. These are his guys. He gave out the money.

And I wonder how that plays into this. The other thing is, is he already talking to somebody based on these comments? Or is he preparing us for something that we don't know? I feel like the way he described it, he's just saying, I am open for business. I'm not returning. I'm not rejecting anyone's phone calls. And to your point, Lila, he was the best of a receiving core and the receivers were supposed to be a strength of the team.

I would argue that as a core, they did not protect. reduce up to the level that they should have. That's reflected in the drop balls that the team had. But DJ Moore's been wide receiver number one, and many people, myself included, thought by now, after attending the NFL draft in Detroit, that Roma Dunesay would be higher on the depth chart than DJ Moore. He is clearly not. Let's say, let's do a little game of, let's say, you guys ready for this?

Would you like to play a game? Let's say, let's say, let's say DJ Moore is back and you have your receipts. crew intact. You have DJ Moore, you have Romadunze, you have Luther Burden, Colson Loveland, he's a receiver as well. Who would you guys say right now, who would you predict right now, would be the leading receiver next year? Would DJ Moore, because I agree with you, Layla, this year, DJ Moore was still your most important wide receiver or receiver, even over Loveland this year. He was the most important, but we had to predict it right now. Who is their top receiver including tights?

Are we saying receiving yards, receptions? Are we just saying overall impact? The most important guy. It's Loveland. It's going to be Loveland. Right. So there is, despite him being so good, it feels like there is some expendability here.

But what do you think, Leila? Do you agree on Loveland? Loveland is the first name that came to my mind. However, when you look at how they're utilizing Luther Burden and he can, he has the same yak and rack capability. I love when you yak and rack. And not just me, but more so the Bears' receivers. And that is something that DJ Moore also does well.

I wonder how he's going to play into that factor. By yards alone, he's likely to get more when he touches the ball because of that scenario. I think the timing got better with him over the season to the point where you don't even think about it anymore. But the way that Loveland was used and when you consider that the comp of Sam Leporto was given by Ben Johnson early, that telegraphs how he wants to use him in an offense. The physical mismatch of Colston Loveland alone is very hard to deny. He's going to draw what's likely a physical mismatch. And especially if Colquette's still on the team,

combat blocked the way he did, things look a lot better. It's a nice one-two punch. The reason it's Lovelin for me is because when you talk about overall impact, only one player had more first down catches than Colston Lovin last year. And that was Roma Dunzee, who obviously didn't play a full season. season. Now, Rome could come back next season and be a guy who can catch the football. Let's put it bluntly, right? But even though, Lela's what she just said, with the mismatches physically, Colston Loveland, having a year of NFL play under his belt, the speed of the game,

the adjustments, I just really like what Colston Loveland is as a chess piece for Ben Johnson going forward. Luther Burton III also, DJ Moore, oh, reliable. I wonder, though, if DJ Moore comes back, are they finally? I'm only going to put the chemistry issues aside, him and Caleb not quite always being on the same page. I could see a Colston Loveland being just a bigger impact player. And you just let Jada Walker loose, man. Just let him loose. Just get him on the field and see what he can do for the Bears.

He diversifies a wide receiver room. That's what Emory told me yesterday. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Emery, yeah, Emory Hunt loved Jade Walker. More than airports, for sure, and speakerphone. And my drafts. Yeah, so there's that as well. Those were his top three things that shouldn't have been invented.

Now, there's a lot more from this side session. Brian Poles speaking at the Combine. He discussed his evaluation of DJ Moore's 2025 season and his exit interview, which we did not get privy to in that end of season press conference. Early on, you have a lot of new things going on and there's a lot of, there's one football and there's a lot more talented targets. and how that all works out where they are. I can't tell you like where everybody is in different progressions. So I know at some points it was slow, some moments like, you know,

towards the end of the season, it was amazing. I think when you looked at the production across the board of all our guys, it came out to be pretty even in terms of targets and yards. So I thought he did a really good job. I know Ben was very intentional with getting them the football

to create opportunities. But when you have Colson start to pop up, Luther, Cole, Rome was going through different things throughout the season but started hot early. So a unique situation overall, but I don't know what we were happy with him throughout the... What was your tone with him in the exit interview

just setting him up for what he can expect in the future? Yeah, very similar to the other guys. Went through the season. The next meeting, we also want to know what they need from us to help them be successful. But a real positive conversation with DJ and really everybody other also. Hmm.

Real positive. a conversation with DJ Moore and then he never talked to us. But he did talk to people at the Super Bowl. I know. I know. Just in the moment, I still think that was a little bit weird. I'm not saying that they said something to him and he walked out in a huff. And it may have just been because he didn't want to deal with answering questions about the last play of the Bears season. What happened then? It's over. Season's over. Yeah.

Now we're sad. Yeah. Feel so sad. Sad bears. Don't be sad because it's over. Be happy that it happened. Oh, yeah, no question. Except that could have been the Bears.

That could have been the Bears in that NFC title game. And I think about it. But here we are talking about like what are the pieces that the bears can add to get to the next level as opposed to who can save the franchise? A new head coach, a new quarterback. Yeah, we get to talk about very good players and the potential. that there might be more very good players. Yes, yes, that we're living in a world where I can ask a question about not having DJ Moore, or DJ more being on the team and him being the second or third most valuable

receiver. That means that your first round pick from last year worked. That means one of your three second round picks from last year, Luther Burden, worked out just fine. You're going to make the audience cry, Mark. Well, I'm trying to get them back up after I brought it down to sad bears. No, it's just one that leaves. us all contemplative bears.

Sad bears, happy bears, contemplative bears. You know, are the bears sitting and looking off into the distance trying to figure things out? Philosophical bears. Yes. But when it comes to DJ more in that discussion, you know, the frustrating part is you want to hear what DJ would have to say after hearing Ryan Pohl say that. But we don't have that luxury.

90 times soon anyway. He'd just give that DJ smile and he's like, I don't know. You guys let to figure it out. Or he would just say, what? Well, what he told her about is like, yeah, I'll be back. Everything's good. I'll be back. Yeah.

That was him basically letting us know he wants to come back. And I don't think it was sarcastic. And I took it as genuine when he said that because that's typically how he's been interacting. How can he not be genuine after having a losing record every NFL season of his entire career until last year? I think he's like, I want some more of that. I do. I do think, though, like if there's a team who wants him and it's a team who wants him and it's a team needs a receiver.

They really want it. Does that team have a pass fresher? And $17 million a year to pay him, too? This is so me projecting. Does that team have a pass rush? This is absolutely me projecting and I've got to stop. But when Ryan Pohl says stuff like, you know, we have to look at all the different scenarios.

I'm like, what scenarios, Ryan? What scenarios? Which scenario would be the one where you pull the trigger on a deal? That's what you want to know. That's what we all want to know. Yeah, that's it. That's the magic question. More to come here from the.

NFL combine on this Tuesday on Rahimi Harrison Grotie on 1043, the score of the press conferences we brought to you. We're brought to you by your local Hyundai dealers. And in the meantime, there is more from the side session with Ryan Poles. So we will hear from it. He also talked about the team's approach and really was asked the question about winning now. So we'll hear what he has to say. More from the combine next.