Falcons WR Rondale Moore 'Another Cordarrelle Patterson'? Cardinals Q&A
The Atlanta Falcons made headlines Thursday by trading quarterback Desmond Ridder to the Arizona Cardinals.
But not to be lost in the deal is the player Atlanta received in exchange - receiver Rondale Moore.
A second-round pick in 2021, Moore is entering his fourth professional season - and SI's All Cardinals reporter Donnie Druin has covered his journey along the way.
SI's Falcon Report asked Druin three questions about Moore. Here were his responses ...
Nov 12, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Rondale Moore (4) runs against Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell (24) during the first half at State Farm Stadium.
Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Q: What’s your scouting report of Moore as a player? What are his strengths and weaknesses?
Druin: Rondale Moore is undersized for an NFL receiver, though he makes up for it with speed. There's not too many people touching Moore in the open field nor keeping up with him in a foot race.
He's made some incredible sideline toe-drag catches but also can't really create separation despite his obvious speed. Mostly a slot guy that was used in a gadget way while in the desert - a lot of screens, jet sweeps, etc.
Inconsistent might be the best way to describe him, and that's why the Cardinals were fine with parting ways with Moore.
Q: How was he used in Arizona? It seemed he spent time at running back and as a returner - was this a product of his versatility or a lack of other capable pieces around him?
Druin: Moore played under two different play-callers in Arizona, though he started as a slot receiver under both Kliff Kingsbury and Drew Petzing.
Kingsbury seemingly refused to get vertical with Moore and kept him near the line of scrimmage - I think one season Moore's average depth per target was in the negatives or close to zero? The idea was Moore's speed would stretch the defense horizontally while Marquise Brown and DeAndre Hopkins would handle things vertically.
Petzing seemed to open up the playbook a little more but did utilize Moore as a running back in certain packages - it wasn't too night and day different from Kingsbury when the dust settled. Moore is definitely versatile and that's what makes him intriguing as an offensive piece.
Q: What should Falcons fans expect out of Moore from a production standpoint next season?
Moore's arriving to a Falcons offense that already has Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts and Drake London on deck. Needless to say, Moore is not going to be the top option for Atlanta - but I will say this. Sometimes all a guy needs is a fresh start.
It's clear the Cardinals just couldn't squeeze Moore's talents out properly and there's still potential there so long as Moore still is a track star. As far as production goes, Moore isn't going to put up crazy numbers, though he did manage to break a few big plays when his number was called across the offense.
To smaller extents, this could be another Cordarrelle Patterson.
