NFL veteran wide receiver Darnell Mooney signed a new contract with the Atlanta Falcons. Mooney spent the entirety of his professional career with the Chicago Bears.
Sources: The #Falcons are signing #Bears WR Darnell Mooney, giving them a key new playmaker for Kirk Cousins.
Mooney gets a 3-year, $39M deal with $26M fully guaranteed in a contract negotiated by David Mulugheta and AJ Stevens of @AthletesFirst. A top WR off the board. pic.twitter.com/EgWKYhY0b7
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 12, 2024
Darnell Mooney, Atlanta Falcons, Agree to Contract
In 2023, Mooney had a down year. The once 1,000-yard receiver saw a decrease in productivity, likely due to the addition of wide receiver D.J. Moore and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. Mooney finished the 2023 season with 31 catches for 414 yards and one touchdown while playing in 15 games.
Mooney was drafted 173rd overall in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. With a slimmer build at 5’11” and 173 pounds, his elusive stature resulted in a lot of yards after the catch. Few people expected Mooney to have the kind of impact he did with the Bears right away. He finished his rookie season with 61 catches, 631 yards, and four touchdowns.
The following season was Mooney’s best statistical season as a Bear. He had a special connection with quarterback Justin Fields and finished the 2021 season with 81 catches, 1,055 yards, and four touchdowns. Despite this success, his subsequent seasons witnessed a noticeable decline in production.
It’s hard to pinpoint the exact reason for Mooney’s decrease in performance. However, Mooney is a gifted athlete with a lot left in the tank. Bears head coach Matt Eberflus offered encouraging words for Mooney following a disappointing season.
“Yeah, Darnell, like I said before, has been a true pro. He’s done everything we have asked him to do… and there were games where he was targeted a bunch of games and he had some catches and did some good YAC yards and we saw some explosiveness there.”
Throughout the course of his career, Mooney has appeared in 60 regular-season games with 213 receptions, 2,593 yards, and 11 touchdowns. The hope is for Mooney to return to being the productive, crafty wide receiver he’s been in the past.
Main Photo: Brad Rempel – USA Today Sports
