Let’s be clear off the top.

Nobody wants to trade DJ Moore.

And nobody longs for the days of Chase Claypool, Equanimious St Brown, Byron Pringle, Dante Pettis and Velus Jones.

I’ll never forget walking into the Walter Payton Center for the Bears’ first minicamp in 2023 and hearing Lil Wayne’s “Go DJ” blaring over the loudspeakers. And go he did.

Once drills began, it was obvious the Bears’ new DJ was head and shoulders above anyone else on the field.

Moore has consistently been a hard worker at training camp and doesn’t skip practices, plays through pain, and has produced both in the box score and with some of the most catches in Bears history.

Off the field, he was a Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee and loves being a father. That’s our DJ.

Any conversation of trading Moore is not a vote against the wide receiver but a vote for the possibility of improving your overall team. It’s become a hot-button topic where some fans are so closed-minded against it, they argue like they’re Moore’s distant relatives. Thankfully, it hasn’t devolved into the cesspool that was the Justin Fields debate, which brought out the worst in some fans, most of whom have been proven comically wrong.

Compare the Bears’ situation to the current Super Bowl champion Seahawks. In DK Metcalf’s last three years with Seattle, he racked up over 3,100 yards receiving and 19 touchdowns. Moore has gone for a similar 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns in his three years with the Bears. Seattle traded DK to avoid paying him and improve elsewhere, while allowing the younger Jaxon Smith-Njigba to blossom.

Sound familiar? DK=DJ.

Under Ben Johnson, Rome Odunze, Luther Burden and Colston Loveland will only take on greater roles. The Bears are hoping Odunze pops similarly to Smith-Njigba and that the overall offense only gets better, even without Moore.

Now that the Bears are good, the payroll decisions become more of a puzzle, and shedding DJ’s salary could impact the defense more than his skillset affects the 2026 team and beyond. It now becomes a math equation, and Ryan Poles cannot afford everything on his grocery list. In this case, you may have to exchange filet mignon for ground beef and potatoes.

I know you saw Caleb Williams on Maxx Crosby’s podcast. It gave me the football tingles. Crosby pledged his love for our quarterback. When have you seen that from a superstar on another team? Everyone knows where the Bears could be heading, including the best players in the league. Reports indicate Maxx wants out of Vegas, and his prerequisite is to be traded to a winner. Hmmm.

Maybe you think Crosby is too expensive, getting older and coming off of surgery, and isn’t the answer. I would certainly take the chance, but if not him, there are plenty of other options.

Poles needs solutions, and they’re not cheap. Remember, the Bears’ defense isn’t just short on pass rushers; they were one of the worst defenses against the run. The ENTIRE defensive line needs an overhaul. More tough decisions are needed on Jaquan Brisker, Kevin Byard, Tremaine Edmunds and Cole Kmet. It’s not just DJ; they must fit the roster together like a Tetris game.

Here’s another Chicago example…

In 1988, when the Bulls used to try to win, Jerry Krause traded Michael Jordan’s best friend, team enforcer and rebounding king Charles Oakley for Bill Cartwright. The Bulls got the center they needed, and Horace Grant flourished once Oakley left. Nobody wanted Oakley gone; it simply made the Bulls better.

I once mistakenly thought Ben Gordon and Andres Nocioni were untouchables. I’ve learned from experience.

That same “Go DJ” song could have a whole new meaning if he goes to a different team. It’s not you DJ, it’s us. You helped rebuild a franchise for three productive years as the key piece in one of the greatest trades in Chicago sports history. Thank you. Now, fair or not, don’t rule out being a key piece in a trade to put the Bears over the top.

• Marc Silverman shares his opinions on the Bears weekly for Shaw Local. Tune in and listen to the “Waddle & Silvy” show weekdays from 2 to 6 p.m. on ESPN 1000.