Elijah Moore Breaks Silence on Trade Request: 'I Don't Get the Ball'
After sitting out last week, following a trade request after a dip in his usage, Jets wide receiver Elijah Moore returned on Sunday, looking to help New York's offense against the Patriots.
Nothing changed for the disgruntled receiver, though.
Moore was targeted once in New York's loss to the Patriots at MetLife Stadium. He didn't have a reception, his second game in a row without a catch.
Speaking to reporters for the first time since he requested a trade, Moore was asked about his chemistry with quarterback Zach Wilson.
"I don't even know. I couldn't even tell you," he said. "I don't get the ball. I don't know."
Since Wilson returned from his knee injury, sustained during the preseason, Moore has four catches over four games. With Joe Flacco under center, across the first three games of this campaign, Moore was averaging seven targets and four catches per contest. On Sunday, he played in only 10 of New York's 58 snaps on offense, his lowest usage of the season.
Jets head coach Robert Saleh assured after the game—New York's 13th consecutive loss against the Patriots—that Moore's playing time had nothing to do with his trade request. Moore first requested a trade after the win over the Packers two weeks ago, a game where he didn't have a single target and his snap count dipped to a new low.
Saleh explained that the Jets wanted to use rookie Garrett Wilson more on Sunday with Corey Davis out with an injury. Receivers Denzel Mims and Jeff Smith were also on the field quite a bit against New England.
"We'll find more opps to get him on the field," Saleh told reporters, speaking about Moore.
Asked if his trade request still stands, with two days to go before the NFL trade deadline, Moore said it doesn't matter. He's still on the Jets and while he is on this team, he wants to do his best to help his teammates and win games.
Moore, a second-round pick, had a promising rookie season last year, racking up 538 receiving yards and five touchdowns over 11 games (with 43 catches). In 2022, he has just 203 yards in six games with 16 catches through eight weeks.
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