Cleveland Browns should bring back newly released former WR

With the Cleveland Browns starting to get desperate with the underwhelming play and inconsistency at the wide receiver position, it should be worth considering adding a veteran who already knows the system.

Lucky for them, the perfect candidate may be waiting to find a new home right now.

After less than a full season with the Buffalo Bills, wide receiver Elijah Moore is back in free agency as he was released in favor of veteran Brandin Cooks.

Moore disappointed in Buffalo, appearing in just nine games. He caught just nine passes for 112 yards. He did rush for one touchdown this season. He was buried in a crowded wide receiver room, getting out played by Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Josh Palmer and several other wideouts.

That’s been a common thread for Moore. The Browns traded for him in his third season in the league after his role was expected to decline for the New York Jets.

While in Cleveland he had some of the best seasons of his career, catching 120 passes for 1,178 yards and three touchdowns over two years.

With the constant carousel of quarterback play, it was hard for Moore to find a consistent rhythm. Quarterbacks looked for Amari Cooper and Jerry Jeudy ahead of Moore, limiting his ability to find success.

The benefit of Moore has been his ability to create yards after catch. He has had a knack of making people miss in the open field, creating bigger opportunities.

The issue has always been getting the ball in the first place. He’s never developed the way people hope, having a hard time connecting on routes.

Despite his struggles, he is just 25 years old. He still has plenty of time to figure it out, and in an environment where he is a top weapon with plenty of targets, he could still figure it out.

The Browns haven’t been able to find any consistency at wideout. Jeudy has disappointing in Cleveland this season, being outplayed by rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. as the top target. Cedric Tillman struggled with injury, and in three games back he has just six catches for 68 yards.

Then guys like rookie Isaiah Bond, Jamari Thrash and Malachi Corley just haven’t gotten going as pass catchers.

Moore would be an immediate contributor, and could find success in an offense that prefers the short and medium passing games, allowing Moore to have some quick catches and turn it into big yards.

With the Browns turning to a new quarterback in Shedeur Sanders, it should be worth it to try and give him as many different weapons as possible, seeing what he can click with.

Moore is sure to still have plenty of teams pursue him as a young player who still does have serious potential, though time is running out. If the Browns find the opportunity to bring him in, even if it’s just to work as a mentor for a 2026 Browns draft pick, it would certainly be worth it.