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The New York Jets are calling a midseason audible.
Head coach Robert Saleh confirmed during an November 8 interview with NFL insider Josina Anderson that the Jets were moving wide receiver Elijah Moore to the slot.
“We are trying to find him more opportunities in the slot. I think he had 27 plays [in the November 6 game against the Buffalo Bills]. Elijah is a great football player and he’s going to be a big reason why we win here for a very long time,” Saleh said. “It’s a new position because we’ve been playing him outside for the most part. We are trying to find ways to utilize all of his strengths and all that stuff.”
Elijah Moore Is Going Back Where He Belongs on the Jets
Some fans may ask themselves, what’s the big deal about moving from outside wide receiver to the slot? Consider that the Jets’ Garrett Wilson, also a receiver, shifted from the slot to the outside after Week 7 and saw his production explode as a result. In Weeks 9 and 10, Wilson has, respectively, 115 yards on six receptions and 92 yards on seven receptions.
“Garrett Wilson had gone quiet for a few weeks — until the Elijah Moore situation forced him to shift from the slot to the outside,” Michael Nania of Jets X-Factor tweeted on November 8. “Wilson’s been thriving in the new role over the past two games.”
Unlike Wilson, Moore is more suited to the slot. In 2020, his last year at Ole Miss, he had 1,193 receiving yards and six touchdowns, leading to his getting drafted No. 34 by the Jets in the 2021 draft.
In his season and a half with New York, Moore has only 741 yards in 19 games and has yet to top 53 yards or five receptions in any game this season as an outside receiver.
His frustration seemed to peak when he requested a trade on October 20. The Jets denied the request and essentially benched him for Week 8 and 9. Now, he will presumably get targets as a slot receiver when the Jets return from their Week 10 bye to play on the road November 20 against the New England Patriots. Perhaps that game will be the coming out party fans have hoped for since the Jets picked him in the second round.
The Future of the Jets’ Wide Receiver Room
To some, the conundrum of what to do with Moore appeared to be an easy problem with an easy solution. The Jets appeared to be looking for ways to win with Moore as a non-factor, but eventually they were going to need him to make plays. At some point, quarterback Zach Wilson would be called upon to distribute passes inside and outside.
Saleh’s decision to move Moore inside could make him more comfortable. And suddenly, the future of the Jets’ wide receiver room looks different on paper.
With Wilson thriving and Denzel Mims having a career renaissance, the outside wideouts appear to be set. If Moore can successfully transition to the slot, the Jets’ appear to have a fantastic trio that features a combination of size, wiggle and playmaking ability.
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