Cleveland Browns overpay for potential-filled Elijah Moore

The Cleveland Browns have traded for former New York Jets Elijah Moore

The Cleveland Browns have landed their other wide receiver. The team agreed to a deal with the New York Jets that will see Elijah Moore, a soon-to-be-third-year wide receiver, arrive in Cleveland. The Jets will also ship over the 74th pick in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft, which is a third-rounder, all in exchange for the Browns’ highest pick in the draft, the No. 42 pick, a second-rounder.

Moore is a player that Andrew Berry is absolutely hoping improves their vertical passing game, something the Browns struggled with during 2022. The second-round receiver is fast but hasn’t been able to put it all together yet. His 40-time is absolutely why the Browns wanted him, as he ran a 4.32 40-time during the combine. Despite his speed, the Jets have deemed him as highly expendable.

Especially considering the Jets are in heavy pursuit of Green Bay Packer’s quarterback, Aaron Rodgers. You’d think that if Moore was the end-all, be-all, they would keep him. Clearly, they didn’t see the value in him.

Elijah Moore is all potential for the Cleveland Browns

I’m on board with trading the second-round pick for a proven commodity, but that’s not what Moore is. Moore is potential. He’s fast, sure, but he’s not exactly blown away anyone. And you can’t just blame a lack of production on the Jets’ quarterback situation, as Garrett Wilson absolutely wrecked opposing defenses in 2022.

For Moore’s career, he’s caught just 80 receptions for 984 yards and six touchdowns. He averaged just 12.3 yards per reception during his stint in New York, putting him fifth on the ’22 Browns squad behind Amari Cooper (14.9), Donovan Peoples-Jones, Anthony Schwartz, and Daylen Baldwin (12.5).

According to PFF, the biggest issue that Moore has is the same issue Schwartz has, an inability to run routes correctly. Moore had a grade of just 58.1, while Schwartz had one of 47.3. Is Moore an upgrade over Schwartz? Without a doubt. That’s not what we’re discussing, however.

We’re talking if dropping back 32 picks to get a receiver, who is still on his rookie contract and already got bailed on by the team that drafted him, was worth it. I don’t think it was. Does that mean Moore will be a bad player? No, he may be very good. He may be exactly what the Browns need. In fact, he comes in with pretty sure hands, according to PFF. So having a sure-fire pass-catcher is a great thing.

But can he run his routes well enough to create separation? That’s his issue.

You have to ask yourself why the Jets would give up on a guy with two years left on his deal, with insane speed, right when they’re about to land Rodgers. It’s possibly because they saw him as expendable. The Browns needed that second-round pick to further bolster this team, either in a trade for a far more proven commodity or by using it to draft an impact player.

Now the Browns have to hope they can get the most out of Wood, who has to produce at second-round numbers now to justify the trade. He might be able to do it, but you’re leaning awfully hard on potential over proven production.