While the Cleveland Browns do not have a first round pick in the next two NFL Drafts, they should remain interested in New York Jets’ wide receiver Elijah Moore. Requesting a trade from the Jets yesterday due to lack of usage, the former 34th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft is ready to move on to somewhere that would utilize him.
Diverting a bit away from the Baltimore Ravens for one second here, we take a look at four reasons why the Browns should be interested in Moore.
Looking at the production of Moore thus far
He was a favorite target of mine two drafts ago but unfortunately was selected before the Browns got on the clock in the second round. Sure, the Browns do not have much draft capital to spend, but spending it on a player who has won at the NFL level already (yes, I know his production has been limited) versus a question mark of a rookie is a risk that may be worth taking.
Thus far in 2022, Moore has racked up just 203 yards on 16 catches for the Jets, failing to find the endzone. This is coming off a promising rookie season in the first year of a regime change where Moore tallied 538 yards on 43 catches, finding the endzone five times.
At the likely cost of a day-two pick, Moore will not be cheap. But the Browns should not be looking for cheap solutions at this point.
Browns do not have a threat after the catch outside of their running backs
For as good as Amari Cooper has been this year, he offers very little in terms of manufactured touches or an ability to make a play after the catch. The Browns’ best playmakers after the catch this season have been their running backs and tight end David Njoku. Getting a guy who can be an extension of the run game and stretch defenders to the boundary on screens is a must for the future of this team.
Moore can be that player for the Browns.
While he has averaged just two yards of YAC in 2022, his total was nearly doubled a year ago. As a rookie, Moore racked up 204 yards after the catch according to PFF. He is a quick-twitch athlete who can make a man miss in the open field to pick up extra yardage.
The Jets even gave the ball to Moore five times during his rookie season for 54 yards and an additional touchdown. He is a versatile weapon who would mold right into what the Browns seek to accomplish offensively.
With a top offensive line in the league, a top running game, and downfield threats in Njoku and Cooper, the Browns should be looking at every nook and cranny to maximize their offense to its fullest potential.
He still has two-and-a-half years left on his rookie contract
Moore is still just 22 years young and still has over two years left on his rookie deal. With most teams looking to get extensions done after year three of rookie contracts, Moore was wise to ask out now to maximize his opportunity over the next year and a half before that time.
Regardless, for a team that just shelled out a ton of money on a quarterback, getting a young player on their rookie deal for a decent span before needing to pay him would be an advantage for the Browns. With Anthony Schwartz looking like a wasted asset, it would be nice to swap out one 2021 wide receiver for another.
With Peoples-Jones sitting with one year left on his deal after this season, the Browns may need another young receiver to pair with Cooper. The Browns still have David Bell in the wings (who has made flashy plays on limited opportunities), but the Browns should be looking to stack firepower.
A trio of Cooper, Njoku, and Moore would give the Browns a lethal passing attack well into the future.
Elijah Moore gives the offense an inside-out versatile wide receiver
Despite his stature at just 5-foot-10, Moore has had no difficulty winning from both outside and the slot early in his career. This would give the Browns a great deal of flexibility in terms of personnel on the field.
Thus far in 2022, Moore has run 75 percent of his snaps from the outside, running the last 25 percent from the slot. His career totals through about a year and a half are fairly similar as he has run 73 percent of his snaps out wide.
They could pair Cooper and Peoples-Jones in two-man situations, or Cooper and Moore. They could throw Cooper or Moore in the slot in three-man sets based on matchup to seek out the best mismatch. Adding a talent like Moore would open up so many looks within the playbook once the appropriate quarterback who can handle the workload is under center.
He instantly becomes the WR2 in this offense
Donovan Peoples-Jones has answered the bell for this offense in 2022, but his lack of separation is evident not only on tape but in the analytics community as well. And with just one more year left on his contract after the season, there is no telling what his future could hold.
Receiver Tracking Metrics plot!
Open Score (x) by Catch Score (y), with YAC Score as color.
Lots in here:
-Tyler Lockett is elite (until he catches the ball.)
-Chris Olave!
-Rough numbers for D.J. Moore
-Zay Jones and Garrett Wilson: Open! pic.twitter.com/4OiI7TcUJj
— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) October 19, 2022
Despite taking advantage of opportunities he has been given this season with the Browns, his talent of Moore is just so exceptionally superior. His route runner is top-tier, his ability to make plays with the football after the catch stands out, and he even has some return experience to his name.
Moore would fit in excellently with this offense that seeks to get receivers open on crossers, as well as the increase in RPO reps that are soon to come in five weeks from now. The past few Super Bowl winners were not shy of adding a plethora of top-tier talent at the wide receiver position to stack up points. The Browns should not either now that they have a quarterback.
