Bears WR Named Prime Trade Target for Giants After Malik Nabers Injury
The New York Giants got one heck of a gut punch Week 4 after losing star wide receiver Malik Nabers to a torn ACL.
The injury to Nabers couldn’t have come at a more inopportune time. Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart just won his first NFL game after being named the team’s starter, and having a wideout with Nabers’ skill set at the ready is huge for any rookie signal-caller.
The Giants will surely want to keep Dart’s momentum going, so a trade for another talented WR with a proven track record feels like it could be coming for New York.
Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports had a candidate from Chicago in mind: DJ Moore.
Giants Current Situation at WR Is Far From Ideal
“New York still has solid wide receivers in Darius Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson, but can’t rely on Jalin Hyatt to fill the void (even if he was a former third-round pick). The Giants need outside up to solve this problem, even if they are 1-3 and aren’t actually contending for a playoff berth this year,” Kerr wrote on September 29, before making his case — albeit a shaky one — for Moore:
Hard to envision the Bears getting rid of Moore, but it doesn’t hurt to call. … especially since the Giants need a player that can make a quarterback’s life easier. The Bears would need to get a significant draft capital back for Moore, since they are 2-2 and Caleb Williams is playing well. Not to mention Chicago is a contender and has its own young quarterback in Williams. Again, doesn’t hurt for the Giants to call.
If New York would be comfortable paying for Moore’s services in decent draft capital, the veteran wideout could be a nice security blanket for Dart.
Moore Has a History of Consistent Play & Helping Young QBs
GettyShould the Giants try to trade for DJ Moore to help replace Malik Nabers?
In 2023, his first season with the Bears, Moore set career highs across the board—96 catches, 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns—while playing all 17 games. He followed that with 98 receptions for 966 yards and six scores in 2024, again logging 17 starts.
He racked up those stats with two different young quarterbacks in Justin Fields and Caleb Williams.
Through the first four games of 2025, he has 16 grabs for 173 yards and a touchdown.
Prior to landing in Chicago, Moore finished with over 1,000 yards receiving in three of his first five seasons. Now in Year 8, he is 28 and still has plenty left in the tank to be the top target for a young QB.
But the idea Chicago might move on is a bit of a stretch.
Why the Chicago Bears Likely Won’t Want to Trade DJ Moore to the New York Giants
Would the Bears
Moore’s contract is expensive, but not market-breaking relative to WR1 money. He signed a four-year, $110 million extension with Chicago in July of 2024. That deal runs through 2029 and carries a cap charge of $24.9 million this season.
If the Giants gave Bears GM Ryan Poles an offer he couldn’t refuse—think a premium 2026 pick plus an additional fourth-rounder, maybe—trading Moore is possible. But given Chicago’s stated intent to surround Williams with playmakers, it’s a very remote one.
Eagles WR Named Top Option for Giants After Malik Nabers Injury
The New York Giants just lost top wide receiver Malik Nabers for the season with a torn ACL, and his absence has left a crater-sized hole on offense.
With rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart officially taking the reins after his Week 4 win, it’s clear New York will need to add another playmaker to the fray.
If the Giants don’t want to make a trade for another wideout, one of the smartest, lowest-cost moves on the board would be to poach Javon Baker off the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad and put him straight onto the 53.
“New York still has solid wide receivers in Darius Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson, but can’t rely on Jalin Hyatt to fill the void (even if he was a former third-round pick). The Giants need outside up to solve this problem, even if they are 1-3 and aren’t actually contending for a playoff berth this year,” Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports wrote on September 29, before naming Baker as a smart potential signing for New York.
A Closer Look at What Baker Brings to the Table
GettyShould the New York Giants poach WR Javon Baker off the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad
Philadelphia signed Baker to its practice squad on September 5, and he remains there as of September 30. Any team—including the Giants—can sign him away so long as he’s added to the active roster (and kept there for at least three weeks). One weekly wrinkle: clubs can designate a handful of protected practice-squad players, so the Eagles could also choose to protect him.
In college, Baker was a late bloomer at Alabama. He had nine catches for 116 yards and a TD in 2020-21, then detonated after transferring to UCF. In 2022 he finished with 56 catches for 796 yards and five scores.
In 2023, he turned into one of college football’s premier vertical threats with 52 catches for 1,139 yards and seven scores, averaging an absurd 21.9 yards per grab that led the Big 12 and helped land First-Team All-Big 12 honors.
The Patriots took him in the fourth round in 2024, and Baker played 11 games (one start) in New England as a rookie. He logged his first reception in Week 18 (one catch for 12 yards). He also returned three kicks for 79 yards, including a 46-yarder, so he has value on special teams, as well.
Why Signing WR Javon Baker Would Be a Good Thing for the New York Giants
Baker chose the Eagles practice squad over multiple other options, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN. While he’s practicing with and learning from some of the NFL’s best players, he won’t see much playing time if he’s not on an active roster.
The 2024 fourth-round pick is on the Eagles practice squad as a developmental player, but perhaps can get some targets in New York with their depleted receiver room,” Kerr noted. “A player like Baker is worth taking a flyer on.”
Baker doesn’t have to walk in and be Nabers — few wideouts could hope to do that. But considering the cost (a roster spot and three weeks of salary) and the potential upside (a 23-year-old with big-play DNA), this could be a smart and savvy move for New York.
He’d likely have a narrow outside role at first, and he would probably get some special teams snaps right away. If the Giants are seeking a WR1, Baker is obviously not an option. But if they’re looking for a young and talented WR with upside, they could do a lot worse.
