Significant Mutual Interest Between Bears & WR Darnell Mooney For Extension

According to Matt Lombardo, the Bears and WR Darnell Mooney have a lot of mutual interest in an extension next offseason. 

Players can’t sign extensions until after the conclusion of their third season in the league, so Chicago and Mooney will have to wait until the offseason to do a deal. 

The wide receiver market erupted this past offseason, so it’ll be interested to see how negotiations between Mooney and the Bears proceed in 2023. 

Chicago’s offense has struggled this year and that’s affected Mooney’s production but it’s clear Mooney is their best receiver and someone worth building around. He topped 1,000 yards receiving in his second season in 2021. 

Mooney, 24, was a four-year starter at Tulane and was named second-team all-conference in his junior season. The Bears traded up to draft him with the No. 173 pick in the fifth round in 2020. 

Mooney is in the third year of a four-year, $2,917,050 rookie contract that included a $282,050 signing bonus. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent in 2024. 

In 2022, Mooney has appeared in six games for the Bears and caught 17 passes on 33 targets for 241 yards and no touchdowns.