Elijah Moore performed a move Friday during joint practice between the Jets & Falcons that was met with a lot of acclaim from all who saw it.
It was the second play of a competition period between the Jets’ offense and Falcons’ defense late in practice. Joe Flacco passed the ball just over Casey Hayward, Falcons cornerback. Moore took it in and turned to the sideline with some open space. Moore pulled it in as Atlanta safety Dean Marlowe approached. Moore bounced back outside and delivered a hard faux inside, spinning Marlowe.
The play was 42 yards long and demonstrated that the Jets could be different after years of being without playmakers.
Moore was just one wide receiver who made big plays on Friday against the Falcons. Moore was everywhere on the field and had five catches. Rookie Garrett Wilson caught a spectacular diving catch while returning to the sideline. Braxton Berrios caught a touchdown. Corey Davis made two catches in a span of two minutes. Denzel Mims made an impressive leaping catch.
“It is a really good group,” head coach Robert Saleh said. “It’s a young group that has to learn how to play with one another and really elevate their game at the moment of the truth. This group is good at their jobs, running their routes, and creating separation. It’s going to be the moment of truth, catch the ball and make something happen, yards after catch, explosive plays and what you do with the ball in your hands. That’s something they’re building toward and they’ll continue to get better.”
To find the Jets’ most recent 1,000-yard receiver, you have to go back to 2015. Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall both did it that season. Jamison Crowder, Robbie Anderson, and Jermaine Kearse have led the team in receiving, with low totals for top receivers. They are all fine receivers but they were not consistent playmakers.
Crowder, who led the Jets’ in receiving the most passes during his three years here, had just 51 catches last year to be the top passer catcher.
The Jets hired Saleh before last season and Joe Douglas, the general manager, discussed the possibility of upgrading the position. Crowder was the team’s No.1 receiver in 2020, the same year as Saleh. Breshad Perriman was the No. 1 receiver.
Since Saleh’s arrival, the Jets have signed Corey Davis in free agency, drafted Moore in the second round in 2021 and drafted Garrett Wilson in the first round this year. Practice shows that there is a lot of talent.
“They’re the ones who touch the ball,” Saleh said. “The backs touch the ball, the quarterback touches the ball and the receivers touch the ball. If you don’t have explosive playmakers at those positions, guys who can take those 5-, 6-, 7-, 8-yard routes and turn them into 20 and 25 and 30, then you’re having to spend 10 to 15 plays trying to score points, which is very hard to do in this league. You’ve got to be able to have 5-, 6-, 7-play scoring drives. You’ve got to be able to move the ball quick. You’ve got to be able to get chunk yardage. We feel like we’ve built a group of receivers that are capable of that and now they’ve got to make it happen.”
Moore was the star of practice on Friday and has the potential for being a No. He will be the Jets’ number one receiver in his second season. He could be the leader in a strong receiving group.
“He hasn’t even sniffed the surface, let alone scratch it, of what we think he’s going to be capable of,” Saleh said.
Flacco, a former Ravens player, compared Moore and Steve Smith to his NFL experience.
“His ability to stop and start is really, really, really rare,” Flacco said. “I don’t know how many times I’ve seen somebody who can stop as well as he can.”
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