30 Most Important Bears of 2023: No. 15 Darnell Mooney
The Chicago Bears are gearing up for the 2023 NFL season, which features plenty of new and returning faces within the organization. There are a number of players, coaches and front office members that are crucial to the team’s success this season.
Every day from now until the start of training camp, we’re counting down our 30 Most Important Bears for the 2023 season. We’ll recap their 2022 season, look ahead to 2023 and tackle the biggest question facing them this year.
We’re at the halfway point of the list and at No. 15 is wide receiver Darnell Mooney, who is looking to bounce back after coming off a serious injury.
Background
Position: Wide receiver
Age: 25
Experience: 4th season
2023 cap hit: $3.063 million
2022 recap
Mooney came into the 2022 season as the unquestioned leader of the wide receiver corps with the opportunity to ascend and become a top-15 player at the position. What transpired, however, was Mooney’s worst year as a pro statistically that was unfortunately cut short due to a severe ankle injury. Mooney played in 12 games and caught 40 receptions for 493 yards and two touchdowns, all career lows. He didn’t total more than 25 yards in a game until Week 4 and his first score didn’t come until Week 9. He broke his ankle against the New York Jets in Week 12 that caused him to miss the rest of the season, ending a disappointing campaign in the worst way possible.
2023 outlook
Mooney has spent the entire 2023 offseason rehabbing and that hard work is paying off. He recently said he’ll be good to go when training camp opens and that should make Bears fans happy. This time, however, Mooney won’t be the top receiving option on the team. That designation now goes to D.J. Moore. He and Mooney, along with Justin Fields, have been working together this offseason though and the former Carolina Panther’s arrival instantly elevates every other wide receiver on the field. Mooney now fits in as the team’s WR2, a role he thrived in just a couple of years ago.
Big question: Will Mooney sign an extension?
Mooney is one of a few Bears entering the final year of their rookie deal and could cash in with an extension either during training camp or into the regular season. A year ago, it seemed likely that Mooney would sign a new deal but given his ankle injury and the new wide receivers in the room like Moore and Chase Claypool – who is also eligible for a new deal – that’s no longer a lock. The Bears haven’t been able to extend one of their own wide receiver draft picks to a multiyear deal since Earl Bennett 12 years ago. Mooney could break that streak but the Bears want to see how he looks following his injury. And if Mooney bounces back with a big season, will his price rise too much where the Bears don’t feel compelled to pay him? It’s going to be an interesting season for No. 11.
30 Most Important Bears of 2023
