Cancun bound? Caleb Williams struggles have DJ Moore, Bears on vacation time

Across the NFL, teams in playoff contention are beginning to separate themselves from the rest of the league. Fourteen teams will have the luxury of participating in the tournament after the regular season, and several teams are still clawing to fill the few spots that remain vacant.

While some teams are gearing up for grueling playoff games in the bitter cold, others already have their sights set on tropical vacation destinations. For teams with nothing left to play for, offseason plans may already be in place.

The Chicago Bears began the 2024 season with a 4-2 record, seemingly validating those who had his expectations for them this year. Then, the Bears went into their bye week and never returned from their hibernation. Chicago has lost eight consecutive games, and they were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention in Week 15.

D.J. Moore is ready for vacation after Bears’ awful 2024 season 

Bears wide receiver D.J. Moore was asked during a locker room interview about how difficult the disappointing season has been for him.

“Not tough at all,” Moore said sarcastically, per CHSN. “I’m lying, but it’s been tough. Frustrating, definitely with this losing streak, but it’s football. Some team got to win, and it hasn’t been us. … We need to figure it out. Maybe not this year, but at the beginning of next year, we definitely need to figure it out before we play a real game.”

When asked about what he’s thinking about doing to improve during the offseason, Moore offered a simple response.

“What I’m thinking about?” Moore said. “Vacation. … Let [the front office] do all the work, and then just come back and [be] ready to go.”

Chicago was expected to compete for a playoff spot after selected quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The USC product was viewed as a generational talent, but poor team leadership and coaching exposed many of the rookie’s flaws. 

Former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck remains the only quarterback selected with the No. 1 overall pick to start a playoff game in his rookie season, per Josh Dubow of The Associated Press. 

Competition stiffens in the playoffs, where each team is just one game away from elimination. Few players are completely healthy, but the games are played with greater fervor, and coaches utilize every trick in their playbook. If Williams wants his first playoff experience next season, the young quarterback will have to make significant improvements during the offseason.