AP source: Jets’ frustrated WR Elijah Moore is looking for a trade

Share

Tweet

Share

Share

Email

Comments

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) – New York Jets wide receiver Elijah Moore, who recently expressed frustration with his suddenly limited role, asked to be traded Thursday, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.

Moore was excused from practice by the team, according to coach Robert Saleh, to be with his family to deal with personal matters.

Moore spent the day outside the facility and asked to be dealt with. But the Jets have no plans to trade him, the person who spoke to the AP said on condition of anonymity because details of the conversation were private.

The NFL Network first reported Moore’s request to be traded.

Moore was not seen during the early portion of practice that reporters could watch. Saleh, who does not hold a press conference on Thursdays, briefed reporters standing on the sidelines about the reason for Moore’s absence, without giving details.

The trade request comes as the surprising 4-2 Jets have won three straight games and are off to their best start since 2015.

Moore becomes the second Jets wide receiver to request a trade after Denzel Mims did so during training camp. But as with Moore, the team doesn’t plan to deal with him.

In the first of three Twitter posts Thursday, Moore said, “I love my teammates!” He followed that up with, “When someone tells you how they feel for the first time BELIEVE THEM!” The final tweet read, “God, I need direction .” The last two have since been deleted. Earlier Thursday, Moore also tweeted, “God doesn’t make mistakes….I trust you through it Allllllll…”

Moore, a second-round pick last year out of Mississippi, caused a stir on social media Sunday after New York’s 27-10 win at Green Bay when he quoted a tweet from a press release pointing out that there was no official receiving target in the game. He had one on a deep incompletion in the second quarter, but it was nullified by a penalty.

“If I say what I really want to say… I’ll be a selfish guy… we win,” Moore said in a post-deleted post. “Thankful! A huge blessing! Everything I’ve ever wanted. Sweet butter for me, but I’ll be firm. So I’ll just keep quiet.

“Just know that I don’t understand either.”

Moore is coming off a promising rookie season in which he caught 43 passes for 538 yards and five touchdowns in 11 games, including six starts.

However, his production is down this season, with just 16 catches for 203 yards and no scores in six games — all starts — while working in an offense that includes wide receivers Corey Davis, rookies Garrett Wilson and Braxton Berrios, tight ends CJ Uzomah and Tyler Conklin and running backs Breece Hall and Michael Carter to catch passes. The Jets have focused more on running the ball in recent weeks.

“We talked. It’s good,” Saleh said Monday when asked about Moore’s tweets after the game. “He’s a competitive young man. Like everybody, when you’re a competitor like him, he wants to contribute.”

Saleh added that he has no problem with Moore.

“He’s one of our high character guys,” the coach said. “I love him to death. Eventually, the production part he hopes will come. He just keeps working.”

On Thursday, offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur echoed Saleh’s comments, adding that he had an “open dialogue” with the wide receiver, but “we’re going to keep him in-house.”

Quarterback Zach Wilson said the two have talked and it’s a matter of “just encouraging” Moore. Wilson reiterated that the Jets haven’t passed the ball much in the last few games.

And it’s true: Wilson was 10 of 18 for 110 yards last Sunday at Green Bay, and 14 of 21 for 210 yards against Miami — with Moore getting one catch for 11 yards on four targets — two weeks ago.

“It’s not a matter of me trying to avoid him or anything because he’s a great player,” Wilson said. “It’s just about being patient and trusting the process. I only had 10 completions last week, but we won the game, so that’s great. I love him and I hope he understands that he’s special to our team.”

The Jets play at Denver on Sunday. There was no word on when Moore would return to the team or if he would be available to play.

NOTES: DE Jermaine Johnson (ankle) did not practice and is not expected to play. … LT Duane Brown (shoulder), S Ashtyn Davis (hamstring), WR Braxton Berrios (back), LB Quincy Williams (ankle) were limited.

___

More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL