Kansas City Chiefs viewed as perfect landing spot for Chicago Bears WR Darnell Mooney in free agency

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano echoed similar sentiments. 

"The Chicago wideout is much better than his 2023 stat line of 31 catches for 414 yards and 5 TDs suggests. The Chiefs or Titans could be players here."

Beyond the obvious needs at the WR position, Mooney is a fit with the Chiefs for several reasons. He's just 26 years old, with plenty of treads left on the tires. He can play both the slot and outside, with proven success at each position. He's also familiar with the offensive system in Kansas City because of his former coach in Chicago.

Darnell Mooney has ties to Chiefs OC Matt Nagy

A fifth-round pick by the Bears in the 2020 NFL draft, Mooney spent two seasons under Chiefs OC Matt Nagy in Chicago. As a rookie in 2020, he caught 61 passes for 631 yards and four touchdowns. A season later, he was targeted 140 times and caught 81 passes for 1,055 yards and four touchdown grabs. 

Mooney put together the best two-year stretch of his career under Nagy, who ran his own iteration of Andy Reid's offense with the Bears. After two down years in Chicago, where Mooney failed to exceed 40 receptions and 500 yards receiving in a single season, he could be looking at a prove-it-style deal with an opportunity to hit the market again after a return to elite levels of production.

Despite those two down years, he did show some signs of returning to his normal self as a downfield threat in 2023. He averaged 13.4 yards per reception, which was higher than his 13 yards per reception mark in 2021. Back in 2021, Mooney caught seven of 23 targets that traveled more than 20 yards down the field. 

How much will Darnell Mooney cost the Chiefs?

Mooney is coming off his least productive NFL season catching just 50.8% of his passes with lows in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. Because of that, many believe he'll be available for a lower price than other receivers on the market. 

A to Z Sports' Josh Queipo and Kyle Dediminicantanio project that Mooney will earn a two-year contract worth up to $16 million in free agency. Only $8M in the first year of the contract would be fully guaranteed, so it's effectively a one-year deal with a team option in 2025. 

I'd personally be surprised if Mooney signs a multi-year deal. The opportunity to hit the market again at age 27 after a resurgent campaign in Kansas City or elsewhere seems too good for a young and talented player to pass up.