The NFL trade deadline has come and gone, and two disgruntled wide receivers are still on the Jets roster, despite both issuing trade requests.
Denzel Mims and Elijah Moore, who are both young pass catchers for Gang Green, asked to be moved to a new team this year, but neither got their wish — and they’ll remain at MetLife Stadium through at least the end of the season.
Mims, who was drafted by New York with the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, came into the league with high hopes, but never found his footing in the pros. Prior to this season, his agent publicly requested a trade on his behalf.
“Denzel has tried in good faith but it is clear he does not have a future with the Jets,” said Ron Slavin.
Despite the no-uncertain-terms of his ask, the Jets rebuffed the wideout’s ask, and kept him this year.
While he had bemoaned the lack of targets he’d been receiving with Gang Green, the team offered to get him more involved in the passing game — though that has not materialized this season.
He has been inactive or injured to start the year, and has only appeared in the team’s previous two games.
In those contests, he’s recorded just five targets, catching just three passes for 80 yards.
Meanwhile, fellow wide receiver Elijah Moore, who is in his second year with the Jets after being drafted in the second round in 2021, began the season with several games with little usage.
His frustration boiled over in Week 6 against the Packers, when he was not targeted for a single pass. He requested to be traded after that game.
He later sat out the next game, before returning in Week 8, but caught no passes then either.
When asked about his chemistry with starting quarterback Zach Wilson, he made his feelings known.
“I don’t know. I couldn’t even tell you. I don’t get the ball,” he said.
On the season, he has 30 targets and 16 catches for 203 yards and no scores.
But, despite his request, and his limited usage, general manager Joe Douglas said after the deadline that they still believe in his long term viability in New York.
“We love Elijah,” Douglas said. “We all stood on the table to take him high in the second round last year, and we think the world of him. Obviously, we’re a football family and anytime there’s an issue, we like to handle that in-house. But I was able to have a really good one-on-one conversation with Elijah. We think the world of him; we think he has a bright future as a New York Jet.”
The Jets have the 16th most passing yards in the NFL this year at 2,705, with rookie Garrett Wilson, Tyler Conklin and Corey Davis leading the way for the team’s pass catchers.
It remains to be seen whether the two frustrated receivers will continue to show up and play, or if they will get more chances in the passing game, but the situation is not great at the moment for team chemistry this season.
It has certainly cast a shadow on an otherwise bright season for Gang Green, who are sitting at a 5–3 record.
The team’s next game comes on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium.
