Getty New York Jets wide receiver Elijah Moore trying to make a play during an NFL game.
I’m not sure how many New York Jets fans had Elijah Moore requesting a trade mid-season on their bingo card before the year began. Yet here we are.
That strange situation has created a lot of question marks heading into their Week 7 road trip to Denver to face off against the Broncos. Although in the NFL, when one door closes another one opens.
Elijah Moore Has Opened up the Door for Denzel Mims With the Jets
This Moore story is wild and features a lot of crazy turns.
According to Connor Hughes of SNY, it all started after the massive upset win in Gree Bay versus the Packers.
The former Ole Miss product had zero targets in the game and he “expressed” displeasure to his teammates and began to question his future with the team.
Then on Thursday, he had what was described as an “uncharacteristic outburst” in practice that surprised his teammates and angered his coaches, per Hughes. The team decided to send him home so he could clear his head.
Instead, Moore decided to issue a trade demand and rocked the boat.
Absolutley damning stuff in @Connor_J_Hughes report:
– Elijah Moore first expressed displeasure to teammates after #Packers game “questioning future in New York”
– Moore had “uncharacteristic outburst” before #Jets practice on Thursday surprising teammates & angering coaches
Moore apparently at this point is unwilling to go full-scorched Earth and force the Jets to trade him. So that’s the good news if you are squinting to find some.
It is unclear how the Jets plan on responding to Moore’s immaturity and overall selfishness. The Jets are 4-2 and have won three games in a row.
During this winning streak and really throughout the season to date they haven’t needed Moore’s services. So if they decide to punish him and make him a healthy scratch on Sunday versus the Broncos, that could open the door for a familiar face to step up.
Denzel Mims Time Has Arrived Jets Fans
If that does happen, expect third-year wide receiver Denzel Mims to be active for the first time this season. Throughout the first six weeks of 2022, the former Baylor product has been a healthy scratch.
With Moore potentially out on Sunday, again that is still very much up in the air, Mims would have a clear path to opportunities.
After the Elijah news dropped on Thursday I brought on Jets insider Will Parkinson to break everything down.
During our conversation, Parkinson said it would be the “most Joe Douglas thing ever” for Moore to sit out this week which could result in Mims balling out in his place.
Which could then directly lead to Mims being traded for a better value than anyone could have expected or he becomes a key cog on the offense moving forward.
Again there are a lot of what-ifs here, however, this is why Douglas has held onto his former second-round draft choice. Depth is better to have than a random late-round draft pick.
If an injury or apparently random trade request hits you, the Jets don’t have to scramble all they have to do is call Mims to step up to the plate off of the bench. The former Baylor product has been patiently waiting for his opportunity in the spotlight and he might have just got it.