When it comes to wide receiver Elijah Moore, the Jets could have done better. That’s what one NFL insider feels, anyway.
In his latest Football Monday in America column, NBC’s Peter King believes the Jets dealing Moore — a third-year wide receiver they selected 34th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft — and a third-round pick to the Cleveland Browns for the 42nd pick in the 2023 NFL Draft was “bad business,” even if they found him to be “an underachieving pain in the rear end” who had a “lousy two seasons” to start his career.
Here’s what King wrote:
The Jets found Moore an underachieving pain in the rear end, and you have to wonder what didn’t show up in the scouting process about Moore the person or Moore’s character. You could say, Douglas did a good job, getting the 42nd pick for him, but I’d say a couple of things about that. Dumping the 32nd pick of 2021, with 4.35 speed, after two lousy seasons is bad business. And Douglas didn’t pick up an extra pick here—he moved up 32 spots. Valuable spots, of course. But early third-round picks are valuable, and the Jets are without theirs now.
Here is how NJ Advance Media’s Andy Vasquez summed up Moore’s two seasons in Florham Park:
The Jets were thrilled when Moore fell to them in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and he showed signs of true promise as a rookie when he finished the season with 43 catches for 538 yards and five touchdowns, with 34 catches for 459 of those yards and all five touchdowns coming in his final six games.
But Moore struggled to get involved last season and things quickly soured. After not being targeted in the Jets’ October win over the Packers, Moore tweeted his dissatisfaction with his role in the offense. That turned into a blowup at the team facility later in the week, when Moore was sent home after criticizing then-offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur. Moore requested a trade that same day, which was not received well considering the Jets were two games over .500 for the first time since 2015.
The Jets made it clear they request. And Moore, who was left in New Jersey for the team’s next game in Denver, finished the season with a more limited role (he ended up with 37 catches for 446 yards and one touchdown, in 16 games, far less than the production of his 11-game rookie season).
Now he’s gone.
Moore’s departure is the latest sign of what King called a “pretty grim” 2021 draft from Jets general manager Joe Douglas. From Moore’s quick stay to quarterback Zach Wilson’s major struggles, it has not been a great class.
6. I think the Jets’ 2021 draft is looking pretty grim after the trade of wide receiver Elijah Moore to the Browns Wednesday. (Moore plus the 74th overall pick to Cleveland for the 42nd) The Jets had three picks in the top 100 in 2021: quarterback Zach Wilson (second overall), guard Alijah Vera-Tucker (14th overall), and Moore (34th overall). Wilson’s rep has been severely tarnished through two seasons. Vera-Tucker’s a plus-player but missed the last three months last season with a torn triceps. Now Moore’s gone. This trade means three things:
MORE NFL:
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– NFL Draft 2023: Should Eagles select running back Bijan Robinson with the 10th pick?
– As dust settles on Giants’ pivotal offseason, now it’s time for Daniel Jones to do his part
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Brian Fonseca may be reached at bfonseca@njadvancemedia.com.
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