Less than a month ago Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney addressed a disappointing season and lack of a 2024 contract.”I want to be here,” Mooney said. “I love Chicago. I love being here.”
The 2023 season ended quietly for Mooney on Friday when he was declared out for the Green Bay game due to a concussion.
Whether the Bears would try to sign him back or he goes somewhere else in free agency is apparently going to be left to the coming weeks prior to the signing period.
His production this season as he came off last season’s ankle surgery did not meet his past standards or the team’s needs. Whether it was the injury or the presence of DJ Moore as the new No. 1 receiver, Justin Fields not getting to Mooney in his progression or something else isn’t known.
“Yeah, Darnell, like I said before, has been a true pro,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus said on Friday. “He’s done everything we have asked him to do. You know and he’s done really good for us. And there was games where he was targeted a bunch of games and he had some catches and did some good YAC yards and we saw some explosiveness there.”
Mooney’s numbers show no more than two receptions a game since the Nov. 5 game with New Orleans. On that day he looked like Mooney of old with five receptions for 82 yards on a day when the Saints defense devoted extensive attention to Moore.
Mooney had four games with more than two receptions this season and finished with career lows of 31 receptions, 414 yards, one touchdown and a 50.8% catch ratio. He made 40 receptions last year but missed the final 5 1/2 games due to his ankle injury.
Mooney suffered his concussion against the Cardinals and the Bears didn’t put him on injured reserve, hoping he’d possibly return for one more game. That alone should indicate they hadn’t given up on him.
Without Mooney available, no one else has really stepped up from down the depth chart. Rookie Tyler Scott has 16 receptions on the year. Former Bears receiver Chase Claypool has as many Chicago receptions as Velus Jones Jr. has made (4) and Claypool hasn’t played for the Bears since September.
Whether the Bears have given up on bringing Mooney back is the issue, and another possibility in the offseason will be pursuing improved talent at the position in the draft or free agency.
They will also have plenty of money under the salary gap to take a chance one of their own receivers who produced in the past will rebound.
“He’s been out the last two weeks,” Eberflus said of Mooney. “You know that’s unfortunate. Again, he’s going to put his best foot forward.
“We’ll see where it goes. All those evaluations for each player will be done after the season.”
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