The Jets’ culture does not tolerate me-first players
The New York Jets seemingly cannot have nice things.
With all of the positive vibes in the midst of a three-game winning streak and a 4-2 start, wide receiver Elijah Moore has requested a trade, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Sources: #Jets WR Elijah Moore, frustrated with his role and usage, has asked for a trade. The team has no plans at all to trade him. The former second rounder was targeted once in the win over the #Packers, but the play was negated by a penalty. pic.twitter.com/JJvSbnxXZ1
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 20, 2022
This saga began when Moore came out following Sunday’s game and lamented his lack of targets on Twitter (he later deleted the tweet).
On Thursday, the situation rapidly escalated when Moore missed practice for a personal day. Although it was originally reported that Moore was excused for a family matter, it later came out that he was essentially sent home by Robert Saleh following his disgruntlement over his lack of targets.
Moore’s close friend, Eagles receiver A.J. Brown, also wrote a cryptic tweet that fueled the fire (he deleted it shortly thereafter).
A few hours later, Rapoport broke the news.
According to ESPN’s Rich Cimini and others, the Jets have no plans to trade Moore. However, Denzel Mims‘s time may have come, as he has been practicing in the X role and would be the next man up should Moore be inactive on Sunday.
The question is if refusing to trade Moore is the right approach. There are several layers involved in this question.
Team culture
Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh have fully committed to a culture of high character and teamwork. The Jets thought that Moore was part of that.
However, requesting a trade due to a lack of personal numbers when the team is riding high is anything but high character. It shows a level of selfishness and a diva nature that is antithetical to what the Jets want on their team. Keeping Moore around would send a contradictory message. As Bill Belichick has always instilled in his teams, no one is bigger than the team.
“The #Jets have no plans to trade Elijah Moore” would be the message from this front office, whether or not they’d actually pull the trigger. Leverage, culture message, etc.
This is absurd. Can’t have it on a football team. It’s that simple, and both Saleh and Douglas know it.
— Robby Sabo (@RobbySabo) October 20, 2022
How would they replace him?
Moore plays the Jets’ X position pretty often. It appears that Denzel Mims will be the next man up, but much has been written about Mims’s poor 2021 season and his lack of fit in the Jets’ offensive system. Garrett Wilson is obviously promising, and Corey Davis has been the Jets’ most consistent receiver this season, particularly later in games.
Many Jets fans like Braxton Berrios, but he is far more of a gadget player than a legitimate receiving threat. He can be a third-down target in the slot, but that would move Garrett Wilson out of the slot. Although Wilson can play outside if Moore needs the slot to get him going, it’s not ideal to put Wilson outside for a lesser receiver like Berrios. Berrios’s main skill level is with the ball in his hands, but he doesn’t run great routes or create consistent separation.
Jeff Smith is the Jets’ only other receiving option. He is primarily a special teamer for a reason. His speed is enticing, but speed alone does not a wide receiver make.
If the Jets were to trade Moore, it would significantly deplete their receiving depth. It could be argued that nothing much would change given that Moore has rarely been used in recent weeks, but Moore still represents a significant decoy, at minimum. Teams need to respect Moore’s talent. With Denzel Mims or Jeff Smith out there, Garrett Wilson and Corey Davis will have even less space to work with.
The only way to replace Moore would be to trade for another wide receiver. The question is if there’s a receiver available who’s worth trading Moore for.
Possible return
Moore’s quiet start to the 2022 season has significantly diminished his trade value. From Weeks 8-13 in 2021, Moore had 34 receptions (9th among WRs), 459 yards (6th), five TDs (T-1st), and 2.59 yards per route run (6th). Following that promising stretch that was cut short by an injury, many expected Moore to take his place as the Jets’ WR1 this season.
Instead, Moore has just 16 receptions for 203 yards and no TDs this season. His trade request further brings up character concerns that give the Jets very little leverage in any trade proposal.
Moore was the No. 34 overall pick in the 2021 draft. At the bare minimum, the Jets would want to recoup his draft value in a trade. Can they get a high second-round pick for a guy who’s been largely absent this season and is currently disgruntled? That’s an iffy proposition, at best. I don’t believe that Joe Douglas would just give Moore away for a later pick.
As stated earlier, a receiver-for-receiver trade would make the most sense for the Jets. However, the only real receiver available is D.J. Moore of the Panthers. Although D.J. has talent, his current stats are nearly identical to Elijah’s, with 20 receptions for 204 yards and one score. Other than that, Brandin Cooks was another name that came up, but Cooks is 29 and coming off a litany of injuries.
In terms of non-receiver assets, the Panthers’ Bryan Burns and Derrick Brown have been thrown out there. However, the Panthers were said to be asking for multiple first-round picks for each. That’s not going to happen. The Jets can also use an offensive tackle, and Tayler Moton from the Panthers has been bandied about, but his contract would be difficult to take on.
The Jets can scour the market for a coverage safety or linebacker (such as Roquan Smith) that Moore can be traded for. But it makes the most sense for the team to try to get back a usable piece for this season, which is starting to look like a playoff push, rather than trying to obtain draft picks.
Can Douglas do it again?
Joe Douglas has come from a place of poor leverage before and still obtained above-market value. The Jamal Adams and Sam Darnold trades netted the Jets far above the value that anyone would have reasonably expected in return for a disgruntled, outspoken safety wanting a payday and a first-round bust.
If Douglas and Saleh do indeed decide that pulling the plug is necessary to maintain the team’s culture, this may be the steepest test yet for Douglas. Moore has a world of talent, but the combination of his lackluster production and me-first approach to this situation will not make him easy to trade. However, he does have some pretty impressive film out from last year, and a team that needs a receiver, such as the Green Bay Packers, could still provide the Jets with some leverage to work a favorable deal.
What happens from here with Elijah Moore is anyone’s guess. This is a situation that devolved extremely quickly and has no place on a Jets team just beginning to find itself. The Jets can only hope that they are able to resolve the situation and move on.
JD is not one to rush anything and will only trade more for an excellent return. Moore holds no leverage at the bargaining table based on his accomplishments last season. Benching Him should send a clear message to the team as well as to Moore that the team comes first. My question is who replaces him on sunday? Mims or Smith?
I would go with Mims. He’s a much bigger target than Moore is, so it may be easier for Zach to find him, and he should have the ability to to go up and make contested catches. It’s a chance for the Jets to figure out whether Mims is a piece for the future, or a trade candidate in the offseason.
Realistically, the most likely scenario is that Garrett Wilson takes Moore’s spot on the outside, Berrios moves into Wilson’s slot position, Jeff Smith takes over the WR4 from Berrios, and Mims slots in at WR5 to spell Corey Davis. I believe the Jets view Mims as Davis insurance at this point, and it makes sense since Mims has primarily played the Z receiver position, which is where Davis usually lines up.
That being said, it would be nice to see Mims run some of those go routes instead of Moore. Given his size, he is far more likely to make a contested catch than the 5’9″ Moore.
I was very disappointed to hear this news. Just when Saleh & Douglas have given everyone a reason to buy into the Jets success, a “me-first” type has now drawn the negative spotlight on himself. Even worse, coming from a guy who has proved very little.
It is obvious that the Jets’ strategy of trying to coddle their QB to success has now created collateral damage: a receiver’s feelings are being hurt and that receiver put his hurt feelings ahead of overall team success. I can see this being handled a number of ways, most of which will have negative implications for the team.
Maybe a sit down with Moore and Coach Saleh and hopefully Moore can be convinced that he can either be part of something really big or he will be free to leave when he becomes an unrestricted free agent after the 2024 season.
It sounds to me like they already had a sit down, and Moore handled it badly. I think at this point that great character that is still in the locker room needs to step forward. Guys like Corey Davis, Moore’s buddy Michael Carter, and AVT need to sit down with Moore and explain to him that he is going about this the wrong way, to apologise to the team, and to shut up and do his job. If he still wants a trade in the offseason that can be arranged, but if he expects teams to want to trade for him he’d better not put up bad film where he quits on routes and mopes around. No team wants guys like that.
Agreed, Jonathan.
I don’t agree about coddling the QB resulting in this situation, for a few reasons. First of all, the QB is far more important than any receiver, so his development takes precedence over anyone else’s.
Second, the Jets have not “coddled” Wilson this year. In his first game back, they tried to ease him into the offense, which makes sense considering the amount of time he missed. Against Miami, they rode the run game because it was working, and Wilson made the throws when he had to. (Mind you, Elijah Moore did not help matters by setting up with his toes out of bounds on what should have been a nice sideline completion.) Against Green Bay, yes, Wilson didn’t play well, but the receivers – Moore included – did him no favors by getting zero separation the entire game. There was not one play where Moore was open and Wilson missed him. With Green Bay’s superiority in pass defense over run defense, having a run-first plan made perfect sense.
Moving forward, I think Moore needs to have it out with his teammates more than his coaches. This is a locker room issue and needs to be resolved there. Moore has put a dent in that team-first culture, and he needs to apologize to the team.
They drafted Garrett Wilson (who seems to be worth the draft capital spent at this point) and Corey Davis is out-performing last year. Then there’s the improvement in the running game. What did he expect?
If it’s true that “you’re only as good as your third receiver”, then the team’s in trouble.
Well, maybe their third receiver is Braxton Berrios right now.
Very disappointing. Pure hubris. And from a guy that has done nothing the league. A couple of things here.
You cant trade him, unless you get a great return, which ain’t happening. The 49ers just got McCaffrey for a 2, 3, 4 and a 5 in 2024. We did better trading Sam! But if you placate him and don’t get the return and it sets a bad example and shows the players the organization is weak. He stays.
I am all for the rah rah, I’m that way myself but Salah runs a very loose ship and we are now on trade request #2. Thats what happens when you lack discipline and respect. His way will work if he’s successful over time but you have to get there first and while the players may like him, they haven’t shown they respect him. Thats part of this IMO.
Im very negative on the QB, thats no secret. However, I’ve seen development and improvement and he has to be allowed to learn and grow into the job, while on the job. Its not his fault that we drafted him too high, its our fault. They have an ever shrinking window of opportunity to coach this guy up or live with the knowledge they’ve wasted two top 5 picks on QBs in the last 5 years.
In order to do that the WRs are going to suffer here. I said before the season that our sweet spot for passing attempts is 20-25, no more. The staff understands that and has done a great job the last few weeks finding ways to make that work and they’ve created a winning formula lately. But this doesn’t go away unless the QB makes a significant jump over the next 11 games. WRs arent coming here to play with him. Would you?
But the immediate problem is now the locker room. Those guys know what is up, who gives them the best chance to win and Moore is very popular in the room. Does this cause a split? It did with Sanchez and now that the players see they can win they will be emboldened to find a scapegoat when they don’t. That’s how this works. Salah and JD need to nip this in the bud, lean on the vets and lay down the law. You cant suspend him or punish him or escalate the situation because its his right to ask for a trade. This is a big test for Salah who, like Wilson, is in the clock. He’s told us he has a solid locker room, I’m sorry, but the facts don’t say that. Players arguing with coaches, trade requests and a lack of discipline with both the players and coaches, who have also taken penalties from the sideline. Its never easy, let’s just hope they keep winning because if they don’t they may be sitting on a powderkeg.
I agree about trading Moore. Honestly, I wouldn’t do it unless the return is, at minimum, a first-round pick. Not even a Darnold-like return would entice me. I’m not really on board with trading Moore for a pick or picks at all. They need a player who can help with a playoff push.
I don’t know if I blame this on Saleh running a loose ship. Immaturity and selfishness are individual traits. Furthermore, with a guy like A.J. Brown fueling the fire, it shouldn’t be a surprise that we’ve seen this escalate so quickly.
I think that the other Jets’ WRs and TEs understand that Zach’s development and the team’s run-first philosophy is going to hit their stats. Look at how Corey Davis acts in contrast to Elijah. Davis is closer to playing for a new contract than Moore is (although he has already made some good money).
I don’t know if I agree about WRs not coming here because of Zach, though. It was more the overall perception that the Jets are a losing franchise. If the Jets can win 9-10 games this year, that will change.
The locker room is definitely an issue, but look at what Sauce Gardner tweeted out about humility. He gets where it’s at. Even Saleh admitted that this can be perceived as a selfish move on Moore’s part. I think that this locker room is still strong, with or without Moore. Ideally, the overall character of the team can help resolve this situation.
I agree about trading Moore. Honestly, I wouldn’t do it unless the return is, at minimum, a first-round pick. Not even a Darnold-like return would entice me.
I don’t know if I blame this on Saleh running a loose ship. Immaturity and selfishness are individual traits. Furthermore, with a guy like A.J. Brown fueling the fire, it shouldn’t be a surprise that we’ve seen this escalate so quickly.
I think that the other Jets’ WRs and TEs understand that Zach’s development and the team’s run-first philosophy is going to hit their stats. Look at how Corey Davis acts in contrast to Elijah. Davis is closer to playing for a new contract than Moore is (although he has already made some good money).
I don’t know if I agree about WRs not coming here because of Zach, though. It was more the overall perception that the Jets are a losing franchise. If the Jets can win 9-10 games this year, that will change.
The locker room is definitely an issue, but look at what Sauce Gardner tweeted out about humility. He gets where it’s at. Even Saleh admitted that this can be perceived as a selfish move on Moore’s part. I think that this locker room is still strong, with or without Moore. Ideally, the overall character of the team can help resolve this situation.
Richard
I do not believe that this is a Saleh “loose ship” problem. This is a misguided individual problem. There has not been one inkling that there is any type of locker room issue on this team, including Q yelling at the DLine coach. To the contrary, this team is brimming w/ goodwill and confidence, in themselves and in the coaches/organization.
We don’t know what Elijah’s place is in the locker room. As Rivka points out, Sauce has already tweeted out a bible quote about selfishness. If Sauce is critical of Elijah, I’d put strong money that he carries the sentiment of the rest of the locker room.
Neither Wilson, who has effectively still played less than a full season nor Saleh are “on the clock”. This team’s progress is AHEAD of schedule.
One point on which I do agree is that we cannot trade Moore unless it’s part of some crazy return (player or picks).
I think thats the half full view and I appreciate that. I like and respect Salah very much personally and I am rooting for him. He’s winning now and thats the bottom line, but underneath that there are a lot of red flags. We’ve had 2 players ask out, it happens, but that along with the discipline issues, the sideline issues, the bad penalties and a lot of questionable game decisions cant be ignored.
As for Wilson? He’s in the same situation as Sam was. The 4th year option is a lot of money and unless he significantly improves over the next 28 games you cant keep him. I think the NFL is wrong to do the rookie deals this way but thats how it is and in our case it really makes the rebuild tougher. The coach has to win enough games to show progress while the QB needs to develop. If he was a 3rd round pick (which is what he looks like) the difference in money would allow them more time but hes the 2nd overall pick, make it or break it. And if we are being honest, he’s terrible. Is he the best option right now? Yes. Can he manage a game for a winning team? We are going to find out but he’s got a 47 QBR, thats not even mediocre. You can argue QBR is not everything, thats fair, but he doesn’t pass the eye test either. He’s made a few plays but every backup level QB can make a play or two, how many times has a backup done it to us?
I hope I’m wrong, I just want to win. The last 3 weeks have been refreshing but its happened because of the emergence of other players, the defense and special teams. We could easily be 2-4 or even 1-5.
But we won those games so the expectations are now much higher and that brings on a new set of problems and pressures for both the coach and QB. Now that the fans have tasted winning again they don’t care how we got here and if it doesn’t continue they and the media are going to lay the blame where they always do, the HC and QB. The next 5 weeks will be a better indicator of where we are, judging things during a winning streak is not the always the best practice when looking at a young, rebuilding team. Lets see how the HC and QB respond when adversity hits again because it will. 28 games is a lot of football and both guys have a chance to be successful here. But they are both trending behind the expectations they came with. I think Salah is on much firmer ground than Wilson, who is not even as good as Sam at this point in their careers, but they are both on clock, because a young HC and young QB are always in the clock.
No idea what you’re watching. If Flacco were still here he would be sacked double digit times per game.
1 in 4 drop backs Wilson is pressured out of the pocket and has yet to throw a stupid interception.
Coach needs to grow balls. He’s not an assistant and player buddy anymore
Agree about Zach. Disagree about Coach Bob.
I don’t think it’s a red flag on Saleh that two receivers have asked for trades. The first one, maybe, for refusing to adapt to his strengths. The second one? It’s all on the player for asking for a trade, although LaFleur has been misusing him.
Regarding Wilson, I think he’s shown more ability to go through his progressions and read defenses than Darnold ever did with the Jets. I’m not one known for my “glass half-full” view, not in sports or in life. I still believe it’s possible for Wilson to be the guy. Likely? I don’t know. But to just quit on a guy who’s played less than a full season’s worth of games is foolhardy.
You can chalk the Browns game up to a fluke, but give credit where credit is due on the Pittsburgh game. Zach Wilson carried the team on his back to victory.
Is Saleh trending behind expectations at this point? I don’t know how you can say that. I’ve been impressed with the adaptations on both sides of the ball, which are far more extensive than I had anticipated. I thought their defense gameplans against Miami and Green Bay were excellent. Wilson is definitely behind the eight-ball, but I disagree that he is behind Darnold in his development at this point. Darnold was never anything more than a one-read QB who couldn’t read defenses. Zach can and often does read defenses properly.
This week will be a test of adversity, but the Jets should win the game against a backup QB. Russell Wilson remained Denver’s most threatening offensive player, and without him the Jets’ defense should have quite a day. With the weather forecast holding high winds and the Broncos’ elite pass defense, it will likely be another ground-and-pound day. I’m already anticipating the reactions when Wilson goes 10-for-17 for 100 yards once more. Same next week against New England, to be honest.
Right now, the Jets do not need Wilson to carry them to win games. That’s an impressive testament to the rest of their team.
Guess you missed all those 3rd and 4th down completions vs Pittsburgh! Wilson hasn’t played a full season yet and you don’t throw just to throw
We’ll see if you’re right about Zack Wilson. I think he can be a top 15 QB. he’s 22 and growing and they have 3 TE 2 rb and 3 receivers that need to get fed.
The coaching staff is also in thier 2nd year. Yet instead of enjoying the successes and a QB who came through when needed you want to pander to a 2nd year receiver who has yet to develop the resume to throw me the damn ball demands and it should have been worked out behind the scenes.
The folks here at JetsX have made similar evaluations from the game film and the analytical perspective. And the Jets coaches agree, thats why hes only attempting 18-25 passes a game.
His issues come from poor mechanics, fundies and a lack of awareness. I see improvement especially in the footwork on running plays and when he’s running play action. Its like dancing, when he gets the steps right it allows him to set his feet, point his shoulder and throw a good ball. But hes still making some really ugly throws when he doesn’t get this feet right. Fundies and mechanics are fixable but awareness is his biggest problem and it’s so bad. It’s reminiscent of Sanchez. He’s got a better arm but that doesn’t matter if you have no clue as to whats happening around you and why Sanchez is out of the league. Remember what they told us about his arm talent and off schedule ability? How does he look to you when the play breaks down? Thats where the passes fall at the reciever’s feet, flutter and get thrown into traffic.
They have dialed him back for a reason and that reason is hes not good enough today to go out there and win games so they are teaching him to manage the game and so far so good. But go look at Trevor Lawrence. He also struggled last year but the improvement is radical. He’s taken that second step while Zach is still being reined in like a rookie. Hes not the guy they thought he was and when they didn’t activate him the first 3 weeks it was because they wanted to see if Flacco could take the job. Last year they didnt bring in an experienced back up until after training camp, why? Because they realized early that he wouldn’t beat out a vet and they wanted him to play anyway. That’s not his fault, we picked him and now they are just trying to find a way to squeeze some value out of him. Dont listen to what they say, watch what they do. Everything they’ve done with him tells you they saw early that he wasn’t the guy they thought and now they are deploying him so he doesn’t lose the game, not to try to win the game. By any measure the progress arrow is pointing down on him. Last week when they were going for the late, two score lead they called for a WR to throw the key passing play, (which turned into Hall running for the TD) not the QB. They felt that handing it off twice and letting a WR throw it was a better play than letting Wilson throw it. Thats the coup de grace moment of the game and they didn’t trust the QB! Thats all gotten lost in Hall’s brilliance. The reverse was covered so he tucked it and made a play. That’s great awareness and its why they put the ball in his hands, not Wilson’s. Its also a very risky play, especially with a one score lead, if you lose the ball that far behind the line you may not have a lead anymore. The coaches know that and still did it. I promise you, no team with a franchise QB would call that play, in that situation (leading late and driving for the clinching score) the QB would make the throw. Zach Wilson is a passenger and his stop is coming up soon. But weve built a nice core and JD will figure it out. Imagine this group with Lamar Jackson? He’s an FA after the season. Zach has these 11 games to prove me wrong and maybe even 17 more next year. But JD didn’t blink when he had the chance to replace Sam with this guy and Sam is better, IMO. We have a great talent base now and I can see this group being a serious contender if you added Jackson. If JD thinks that too hes positioned himself to replace the game manager with a guy that can get us to the SB.
It’s difficult to respond point-by-point to such a long paragraph, but I’ll do my best.
I haven’t seen any assertion like that, and I read every single Jet X article, listen to the podcasts, and watch the film reviews. The consensus here is that Zach hasn’t thrown the ball a lot because the run game is working. If you looked at Nania’s throw-by-throw reviews of Zach’s games, he’s given him one average grade (55.9 if I recall correctly against Pittsburgh), one well above average (against Miami), and then one slightly below average (against Green Bay). He indicated that Zach’s Green Bay game was not nearly as bad as it looked on TV.
I agree about poor mechanics and lack of awareness causing some of his issues, but he’s better at reading defenses than Sanchez ever was. That leads to the pinpoint throws you see when he’s in rhythm. Regarding off-schedule ability, I thought that throw he made to Tyler Conklin on the run against Miami wasn’t a bad play. He’s made some decent ones. Yes, he often makes his most boneheaded plays off-schedule, which is why the Jets have tried to rein that in.
I don’t agree that they’ve dialed him back for that reason at all. I think they have because the run game is working and they’re facing some good pass defenses. That will continue for the next few weeks. As I wrote in an article this week, the Jets have a serious man coverage problem among their receivers. Zach had nowhere to go with the ball against Green Bay, and there’s a decent chance that continues against Denver, New England, and Buffalo. Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen also struggle when none of their receivers are open.
Regarding Trevor Lawrence, I don’t know what you’re watching, but I’m not any more convinced than I was when he was drafted about his so-called generational talent.
What you said about Flacco is patently inaccurate. The Jets have no illusions about Flacco. He’s here to be a mentor to Zach and a playable backup QB. That’s it. You think they wanted him to take the starter’s job? Well, that illusion was quickly shattered against Baltimore, anyway, but I don’t agree at all. They played it safe with Wilson to avoid some good defenses and to make sure he’s fully healed.
Again, I don’t agree about the plays in the second half! Yes, Wilson was struggling, so it made sense to try to run the ball. But you think the throw to Corey Davis was set up because LaFleur didn’t trust Zach to throw the ball? They came into this game with a run-first plan because Green Bay’s pass defense is really good and their run defense is one of the worst in the NFL (by DVOA). LaFleur set them up well in the first half and then cashed in in the second half. Watch Robby’s segment on that. Regarding the Hall play, LaFleur said he was prepared for 2nd and 11 when Breece turned it upfield. Obviously, he didn’t think that he would be losing six yards. This is the LaFleur/Shanahan system.
In my opinion, Lamar Jackson is not the guy to take this team or any other to the promised land, but that’s my opinion. Plus, the franchise tag is a done deal for him, so it’s not something I would consider.
Go back and watch Robby’s breakdowns of Sam Darnold and then tell me that Zach Wilson is worse. I hope Douglas is smart enough not to make a run at Jackson.
Moore’s frustration is understandable, the way he manifested it is unacceptable.
I have total faith in Saleh and JD to handle the situation appropriately. My hope is that it can be worked out and he stays w/ the team. However, trust and respect from teammates may have already been damaged beyond repair. Sauce has already tweeted a bible quote about selfishness, w/o mentioning any names, wink, wink…maybe an entire team meeting after hashing it out?
Like “JimJets” I wonder about Elijah’s mental state. His tweet asking God for direction is troubling. AJ tweeting #freeElijah is embarrassing to him and Moore. If he is the source of advice it was a poor choice.
However it is resolved I just hope it does not tarnish the good vibe and direction we have going.
Agreed.
The jets should be in no rush to move him. He’s 22 and young, people make mistakes, I wouldn’t write him off yet. If they can get a steal, then maybe pull the trigger. But I would give him time to cool down while making him inactive for next week, maybe longer to send a message.
The trade deadline is November 1, so there’s not a lot of time left. My guess is that he will be inactive on Sunday. I’d also imagine that Moore won’t be traded unless the Jets like the return.
Ya but he’s under contact for two years after. I think this may go on for awhile but the jets really don’t have to do anything they don’t want. I wouldn’t rush anything.
True, but it can break a locker room to have a disgruntled guy of that stature.
Moore is obviously being immature and making a kid mistake, but when it comes to a potential multi-million dollar athlete, I have to wonder, where are the adults around him, giving advice? Where are his agent, his family and friends? I suppose he might not have consulted anyone before mouthing off, but that seems a little unlikely. When a person is upset, and this has been going on for weeks, they usually confide in someone. Either no one gave him good advice, or he just ignored it.
Not to speculate but I think he might have been partially pushed into this by AJ Brown who is one of the closest people to him. Brown just successfully forced his way out of Tennessee so I could see him advising Moore to try the same. When Moore was spewing off his tweets yesterday, Brown was piggybacking them immediately, which makes me think he was in on it.
As Nania said, I think that AJ Brown is his primary advisor right now, which is why this has gotten so bad so quickly.
Right? The adults assured us that he was a high character person. Im not saying he’s not, I’ve been very impressed with him as a person and he has never done anything wrong in his time here, so I respect him.
But it was the adults who told us that he was the next Tyreek Hill and I’m sure hes not that, so maybe the problem is the adults?
Ill go where I always go. Who is responsible for order, organization and communication? That would be the HC. Now, the team captains and leaders play a roll in policing the locker room but discipline and culture are the responsibility of the HC and staff. Bad penalties, repeating mistakes, questionable play calling, chaotic substitution patterns and disgruntled players speaks to a lack of attention to detail and experience on the part of the coaching staff. Not every good coach succeds but all bad coaches fail. And the coaches that fail all generally fit the same pattern of not doing the little things well. Im not saying Salah is going to fail but if he does we are going to look back and connect the dots I’ve mentioned above because they are the warning signs. Parcells and Bill B and many other greats HCs struggled their first few years. There is a lot to like about Salah but I think it’s fair to wonder if he can be a player’s coach and instill enough discipline. Being well liked is different than being respected and Im not sure if they respect him or not.
Wow, Richard. That’s 3 big comments here and each one has gone farther off the rails. First of all, 2 days ago, everyone in the world thought Saleh was a coach of the year candidate. A team that was predicted to start 0-9 is now 4-2 and coming off an impressive performance in GB. Suddenly, because a young man we thought had good character, throws a temper tantrum and you think the sky is falling?
This team absolutely loves Saleh for 2 great reasons. One is that he works himself as hard and he asks anyone else to work, and more importantly, he genuinely loves and cares bout the welfare of each and every guy on his team as a human being. This team has bought in to his message, and the results are coming even faster than we might have expected.
The main strategy for success that I see Saleh bringing to the team is his quest to have high character guys on the team. Guys who are team first, and will do whatever is asked of them for the greater goals of the team. Guys who want to get better every day, and who LOVE football. They love everything about it from playing to training to the weight room, to rehab, to taking care of their bodies and diet. You can see the change in the draft classes from Joe Douglas’ first draft, to the next 2 under Saleh. Denzel Mims and Mekhi Becton were not Saleh draft picks.
They thought Moore was that kind of guy, but sometimes it takes adversity to make bad character traits come to the surface. Not that being an NFL WR and starting for a team with a winning record should be considered adversity, but Moore is a young kid, in a time when young people are feeling more entitled than ever, and he took some bad advice from another young man. The high character response to his tantrum is what Saleh and the team are doing. You don’t banish your child for misbehaving. You give them a time out and then sit them down and explain that they made a mistake, but that you still love them and want to see them succeed.
As for Zach, your own comments undercut your criticism. You write “unless he significantly improves over the next 28 games you cant keep him”. What you’re saying is that it takes 3 full seasons of games to truly see what you have in a young QB. Zach has played barely 1/3 of those games. He hasn’t even played one full season yet. We saw definite improvement from Zach’s first few games to his stretch run where he didn’t throw an interception the last 5 games. Now, in year 2, he’s 3-0!
I don’t understand why you’re so committed to being negative about this team. I’ve been a Jets fan for nearly 50 years, and I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been truly optimistic about our future. This year is near the top of that list.
I agree once again, Jonathan.
Who said he’s the next Tyreek Hill? Even we at Jet X who were very high on him did not say that.
I don’t agree about most of the things you said about Saleh. Those issues that we saw earlier in the year have been largely cleaned up. Actually, the defensive gameplans and play calls have been excellent the last two weeks, and the offensive play-calling was terrific against Miami. I can question LaFleur from the first half last week, but there’s no doubt that he set up Green Bay’s defense very effectively for the second half. Regarding penalties, other than that penalty on the coach on the sideline for something that is never called (standing in the white area causing an official to run into him), I think the Jets have been better about that, too.
I’ve been a big critic of Saleh’s in the past. The least we can do is give him credit when things go well, too.
Nothing grosser than an out of control ego. Hits too close to home for me, im done rooting for moore, just like that.
Good mentioning green bay. Im sure matt lafluer and aaron know all about moore. Maybe jd can get something good back.
Many Jets fans feel the same. Both opinions have merits. I think many Moore jerseys will be burned or discarded this week.
Do I like what he did? No. Am I ready to hate him over it? Not at all.
Elijah Moore has shown us that he is a serious, responsible, dedicated young man since the day he arrived here. He has never done anything to embarrass the team or himself. He has earned my receipt and the benefit of the doubt as far as I’m concerned.
Hate him because he wants to play? An NFL WR has a limited window of opportunity and the understanding that the window can close tomorrow. What he did was dumb and now it blew up on him, lesson learned. Hes a kid, a good kid, has he not earned a mulligan? I think his record as a Jet merits it.
He just did lot to emavarrass himself and the team which happens to be on 3 game winning streak
I can’t believe that you’re so forgiving of Moore when you’re so critical of Saleh.
I don’t think he has earned a mulligan unless he apologizes. If he decides to pick himself up and move on as a good teammate, then I’ll forgive him readily. But if he continues to be a distraction and destroys the positive vibes? I don’t think anyone has earned a mulligan for that, and I’m not even such a fan of the “positive vibes only” sentiment.
And maybe he can help them beat BUF and MIA.
I’m really hoping we don’t trade him. Make him a huge part of the offense like he was last season and was expected to be this season. More snaps more damn targets. Put him on the slot or swap roles with Garrett Wilson like Nania said in his article earlier. It’s really that simple and both receivers should benefit greatly from it! Don’t fuck up with Moore the way you did with Jamal Adams J.D. please 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
I think most Jets fans would like to see Moore break out. The problem is that it would be unlikely to happen over the next few weeks when the Jets face three of the best passing defenses in the NFL.
Yes, the Jets have misused Moore and could jumpstart him with a role change. However, asking for a trade at this point is far worse than what Adams did. Adams was looking to get paid, and while it’s frustrating to see a player force their way out of town, it seems to be the standard for divas nowadays. However, a second-year player frustrated with his role asking for a trade on a team that’s succeeding? That’s some kind of selfishness.
If Douglas does end up trading him, that’s not messing up, in my opinion. That’s called trying to preserve team culture. (I don’t think Douglas messed up the Adams situation that badly, either, considering that he essentially got Alijah Vera-Tucker and Garrett Wilson out of the deal.)
If the Jets want to keep Moore around and also ease the disgruntlement, they’re going to need their culture to step up. It’s about so much more than one player.
Even though the deadline is close I wouldn’t rush to trade him. As said in the article, he has tape so waiting till the offseason wouldn’t be the end of the world.
If they can get one of the following, I’d pull the trigger. This with the assumption they acquire equal talent at a different position.
Safety O-Line, LB, a #2 and 5 ala Darnold. Also, as mentioned I can’t see a team with a greater need than Green Bay and since we’ve already played them, a hard hitting safety would be nice.
Tom Brady has looked very ordinary from what I’ve seen and I know his options are limited.
Add a pick in there with both teams because of thier desperation!
With a surprise good start and imo a year ahead of schedule, he can’t even be on the sidelines till either a trade or a massive attitude adjustment which rarely happens when things reach this point.
Good for Saleh!
Unless Joe Douglas gets an offer he can’t refuse, Moore won’t be traded. If someone offers you Jessie Bates or Roquan Smith for Moore, fine, but that’s about it. I wouldn’t trade him for a 2 and 5, to be honest. I’m not as sold on draft picks for the Jets as I was in the past. You only do it if you get an impact player who helps with a playoff push this season. (As an aside, Green Bay’s safeties are pretty bad, especially Darnell Savage.)
I’m not sure what the next move is. If they’re really intent on keeping him around, it should be to have an in-house meeting with the team captains and emotional leaders (e.g., Uzomah) to get back on track. This is about more than the coaching staff – it’s about how he’s perceived in the locker room. Personally, if I were Moore’s teammate, I would not want to have anything to do with a guy who did something this selfish in the midst of a three-game winning streak.
Unless I missed something this looks like Salah not letting a crisis go to waste. I don’t think this is that big a deal based on his actual public comments but obviously we don’t know what happened inside the building.
Either way, good for Salah. This sends a message that should have been sent weeks ago. Its easy to be their friend but he’s the boss and sometimes the boss has to make the hard decision that a friend won’t. This is the right decision and Salah will be better for finally reminding everyone that he is the boss first. Well done.
It cracks me up that people think that because Coach Bob won’t throw players under the bus in a press conference that that means there is no discipline in the locker room. It is a fundamental maxim of managing people that you praise in public and criticise in private. That loyalty does not go unnoticed in the locker room and is part of why they love him so much.
I see ZERO lack of discipline on this team. The offense has barely committed any penalties at all, and those “bad” penalties on the D were mainly questionable calls by the refs. It’s been clear all season that other teams will be allowed to get away with stuff that we get flagged for.
This is only the 2nd player to ask to be traded, and Denzel, who was not a Saleh draft pick, seems to have mended his ways and is doing what is asked of him. This Sunday will be a huge opportunity for him. Becton, also not a Saleh pick, has disappointed by not keeping his weight in check, and IMO he may have played his last game in green and white (and black).
I wouldn’t say that we haven’t seen discipline issues with this team at times, but I think it’s been a lot better in recent weeks. In fact, you need to give credit for certain small things that the Jets did, such as staying far away from that blocked field goal (although you can give Boyer credit for that). The penalties were not emblematic of lack of discipline other than the roughing the passer on Shepherd. It does seem that the refs have made many questionable calls against the Jets, though.
I agree.
While I’d rather they keep Moore and help him to get back on the right path, trading him to Chicago for Roquan Smith is one I would do, but would be a hefty penalty for Moore. If he doesn’t like playing with Zach on a playoff-bound team, what’s he going to do with Justin Fields on a team looking at a top draft slot?
I’d also make that trade for Smith, but only if Douglas intends to extend him. Since I doubt that he will, the trade would make no sense. In a vindictive way, it would serve Moore right to end up in the mess that is Chicago.
Hes not getting traded.
But you bring up a great point Peter. Salah cracking down here could be a watershed moment (though I don’t know why we call it watershed) 🤔
He should have cracked down hard sooner, hes had plenty of chances since camp and he has been too soft. I commend him, also. He owes it to his playes to instill sufficient discipline in the team.
I agree with everything you said but I think its less selfishness and more a frustrated, young guy who lost his cool, said something dumb and probably really regrets it.
Then somehow it blew up. Not for nothing, but he has a front row seat to watch the exile of a WR who was also a 2nd round pick. Im sure if you’re him you would be worried it could happen to you too.
Instant gratification is the 8th deadly sin.
If he does, indeed, regret it, he should make it clear to his teammates and move on. A public apology would actually go a long way towards restoring the positive vibes. I think most Jets fans want to see Moore thrive in this offense the way most thought he would. He’s just made himself into a problem. If it was rash, he can make restitution.
Moore and Mims were two completely different situations. Moore was drafted by this regime and had a big role last year. Even this season, it’s not as if he’s been phased out more than anyone else. He has not been open at all the last two weeks. What more does he want?
Would you rather have AVT or Adams?
Considering the return and what it was turned into, the Jets have far from Fd up with Adams or even Darnold.
Adams has turned into an over-pqid injury prone semi-bust that JD got two 1’s and a 3 in return plus saving over $20m in cp room.
Darnild was considered untraceable and Douglass got a #2 and 5 and now Darnild, while still young isn’t helping anyone.
A 3 game win streak and this is what he’s about.
The Adams trade was a straight-up fleece by Joe Douglas. I agree.
Moore has definitely shown his true colors.
His tweets are/were bizarre. I hope the kids ok mentally. This came out of nowhere.
Especially considering his A.J. Brown connection, it does make you wonder. This has escalated abnormally quickly.
I think AJ and Philly success makes him think that’s the norm. But AJ is more proven.
AJ was already successful in Tennessee for several years. He didn’t ask out due to usage. Elijah had a six-game stretch of success in his rookie year. That’s it. To ask out now is absurd.