NFL
Another New York Jets WR Shockingly Demands Trade
Tim Crean started writing about sports in 2016 and joined Sportscasting in 2021. He excels with his versatile coverage of the NFL and soccer landscape, as well as his expertise breaking down sports media, which stems from his many years downloading podcasts before they were even cool and countless hours spent listening to Mike & The Mad Dog and The Dan Patrick Show, among other programs. As a longtime self-professed sports junkie who even played DII lacrosse at LeMoyne College in Syracuse, New York, Tim loves reading about all the latest sports news every day and considers it a dream to write about sports professionally. He's a lifelong Buffalo Bills fan from Western New York who mistakenly thought, back in the early '90s, that his team would be in the Super Bowl every year. He started following European soccer — with a Manchester City focus — in the early 2000s after spending far too much time playing FIFA. When he's not enjoying a round of golf or coaching youth soccer and flag football, Tim likes reading the work of Bill Simmons, Tony Kornheiser, Chuck Klosterman, and Tom Wolfe.
Get to know Tim Crean betterPublished20 Oct 2022
You’d think everything would be rosy on the green side of the Big Apple as the New York Jets have surprisingly started the season 4-2, putting them in a three-way tie for second place in the AFC. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case, at least with Gang Green’s receiving corps. On the Thursday before Week 7, wide receiver Elijah Moore shockingly demanded a trade, joining Denzel Mims as the second WR who’s asked off the Jets this season.
Elijah Moore becomes the second Jets WR to demand a trade in 2022
In recent drafts, New York Jets Joe Douglas has tried his best to put offensive weapons on the field. The Jets drafted Baylor wideout Denzel Mims in Round 2 of the 2020 draft, Ole Miss WR Elijah Moore in Round 2 of the 2021 draft, and Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson in Round 1 of the 2022 draft.
Heading into Week 7 of the 2022 season, the rookie Wilson became the only WR in that group not to demand a trade this season.
In August, Mims declared that he was frustrated that the Jets coaching staff weren’t making him a starter — even though he felt like he deserved it — and asked for a trade. The Jets acquiesced to his request and haven’t played him this season, but no team has been willing to give up a fourth-round pick for the player with 31 career catches, 490 yards, and no touchdowns.
Two months later, another Jets WR is reportedly upset with his role in the Jets offense and also wants out.
According to a report by NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, “WR Elijah Moore, frustrated with his role and usage, has asked for a trade. The team has no plans at all to trade him. The former second rounder was targeted once in the win over the #Packers, but the play was negated by a penalty.”
Moore has 16 catches on 29 targets this season for 203 yards and no touchdowns. Since Zach Wilson has come back from injury, his targets have dropped from 21 in the first three games with Joe Flacco to eight (and no official targets last game) with Wilson under center.
The Jets are 3-0 since Wilson returned, but the team’s passing yards have dropped from 250 to 184 to 99 in those three games.
Current and former NFL players are reacting differently to Moore’s demand
As you can imagine, the NFL universe reacted swiftly to the Elijah Moore trade demand. However, it wasn’t the same reactions.
Philadelphia Eagles WR A.J. Brown tweeted a simple message of support for his fellow wideout, writing “#FreeElijah.” And Brown knows all about moving teams. Unhappy with his role and contract with the Tennessee Titans, the team that drafted him traded Brown to the Eagles on draft day for a major haul of picks.
Former Jets lineman Damien Woody wasn’t so kind to his former franchise’s unhappy wideout. The offensive-guard-turned-ESPN-analyst sent a series of tweets after Moore’s demand crushing the second-year pro.
“Re Elijah Moore…definitely not the best look asking for a trade while your team is playing winning football,” Woody tweeted. “On the flip side, this dude is too talented to be this underutilized. You mean you can’t find ways to get the ball in his hands?! Both parties need to figure this out!”
Then, after saying he wouldn’t trade him if he were running the Jets, Woody tweeted, “Six games in when you’re winning asking for a trade…BRUH….cmon dawg [hand over face emoji] lotta games left young fella.”
Whether you’re team Brown or team Woody, the one thing that is true is that Jets fans can’t be happy with this typical Jets drama marring a surprisingly positive season so far.
Have thoughts on this topic? Keep the conversation rolling in our comments section below.
