Elijah Moore Has Had A Challenging Nfl Path But Wouldn't Trade It For Anything

Elijah Moore has had a challenging NFL path but wouldn't trade it for anything originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

It’s easy to forget about Elijah Moore in a wide receiver room with an established star in DeVonta Smith, a first-round pick in Makai Lemon and two impressive veteran acquisitions in Dontayvion Wicks and Hollywood Brown.

Moore is out to make sure nobody forgets about him.

The 26-year-old Moore, the Jets’ second-round pick in 2021, is now with his fifth team in five years as he tries to establish himself as a legit NFL wide receiver.

Moore signed a modest one-year, $1.315 million contract with the Eagles in March and has quietly enjoyed a productive training camp so far.

Why sign here?

“I feel like at the end of the day, you’ve got to go where you’re wanted and where you see opportunity,” Moore said after practice Friday. “You know, the Eagles have been doing their thing for a long time. 

“Obviously, I’ve been watching you guys and I just felt like it was an opportunity with the best fit, especially since some of the coaches that came over here, like (Sean) Mannion and seeing such a great coach that Nick Sirianni was. I just felt like it was a great opportunity.”

Moore was a disappointing draft pick as a high second-rounder – 34th overall and the sixth receiver taken in 2021. The Jets traded him to the Browns after the 2023 season and after two years in Cleveland he spent last year with the Bills and Broncos, who both released him.

Certainly not the path he planned on when he entered the NFL.

“You know, I got kids, man,” he said. “I got things I got to teach them outside of just having everything go my way. What example would I set if, if everything went my way? I wouldn’t have nothing to tell, you know?

“So I think it’s just brushing myself off, you know always having high hopes. … It’s continuing to push. I think that’s what always keeps me motivated whatever situation I’m in. Just have high hopes. I put the work in and everything else just takes care of itself.”

It’s not like Moore has been a total bust. He averaged 50 catches for 541 yards with nine touchdowns in his first four seasons.

He’s now in a situation where nothing is promised. With Smith, Lemon, Brown and Wicks locked into spots on the 53 and Darius Cooper, Johnny Wilson, Britain Covey and Quez Watkins also in the mix, it’s going to be a free-for-all for those last one or two roster spots.

“Yeah, it’s one day at a time,” he said. “You’ve got to make the most of every opportunity that you have. Whenever my number’s called, it’s going to sound cliche, but you just got to make the play.

“I think that life is not a linear path. I think it’s rarely that, even for some of the top players that get picked, that it goes exactly the way that they want it. And I think that’s there to teach you lessons.”

As challenging as his journey has been, Moore said he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“A hundred percent,” he said. “As much as people say that they would change it, I wouldn’t because of the man I think that it’s made me be.

“There’s a lot that I’ve gotten to learn about myself. I don’t know how else it would have got challenged if it wasn’t for football. So I look at everything in a positive light. I feel like I’m a better man because of it.”

If Moore looks like he’s picked up Mannion’s offense quickly, there’s a good reason for that. 

His offensive coordinator with the Jets in 2021 and 2022 was Mike LaFleur, who spent five years under Kyle Shanahan as passing game coordinator.

“I always want to be as perfect as I can,” he said. “Especially since I’ve been in this offense before, knowing the nuances and some of the details. It’s more about fine-tuning it, making sure I could be as perfect as possible. 

“I think I can make explosive things happen. I think I’m a reliable player, someone that they can count on and know maybe more than one spot. I’m super critical of myself. I always think that there’s so much improvement that I could do with my alignment, my assignment here in the play, execution. 

“Am I making the most of my opportunities? Yeah. But are there still opportunities that I’m leaving out there? Yeah.”