Jets wide receiver Elijah Moore has requested a trade, which comes as the pass catcher has been largely absent from the team’s offensive attack, according to reports.
NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported Moore’s trade request, saying he was “frustrated with his role and usage.”
The second-year wideout, who came to the Jets as a second round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Ole Miss, had a solid rookie season, with most observers believing that he would be able to build on that success in his sophomore year.
That wasn’t the case, however, as he has caught just 16 passes for 203 yards through six games this season, and has not recorded a touchdown.
Most jarringly, Moore was not targeted on a single pass during the Jets win against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. (Quarterback Zach Wilson threw 18 passes, and completed 10 of them).
Moore made his frustration known in a tweet after that game, which sparked controversy around the team.
“If I say what I really wanna say…I’ll be the selfish guy…we winning. Grateful! Huge blessing! All I ever wanted,” he said. “Bitter sweet for me em but I’ll be solid. So I’ll just stay quiet. Just know I don’t understand either.”
He followed that up later in the week with a series of cryptic messages, and was an “excused absence” from Jets practice on Thursday.
For his part, Wilson denied that he was icing Moore out of the passing game.
“It’s not a thing where I’m trying to avoid him. He’s a great player, I’m just going through my progressions,” the quarterback said. “I love him and I hope he understands that he’s special to our team.”
Moore’s frustration comes as the Jets are on a three-game winning streak, and their 4–2 start ties their best season beginning in seven years.
In his initial report, Rapoport said that “the team has no plans at all to trade him.”
It remains to be seen whether that will change, or when Moore might return to team activities, but this is certainly not the conversation the Jets were hoping to have as they look to continue their newfound success.
