Has Elijah Moore played his last game with the NY Jets?

NY Jets, Elijah Moore
NY Jets, Elijah Moore | Justin K. Aller/GettyImages

Week 8 saw the return of NY Jets wide receiver Elijah Moore after a one-game absence following his trade request, but his return likely didn't go as he had planned.

The second-year wide receiver was on the field for just 10 snaps, receiving one target, and finishing without a catch. Moore hasn't caught a pass since Week 5 and he's hauled in just one reception over the last four weeks.

Head coach Robert Saleh was asked about Moore's lack of usage after the game, and while he insisted it had more to do with getting Garrett Wilson involved in the offense, it was clear there was a greater issue at play.

Moore is in the doghouse. The Jets want to see Moore re-earn his spot in the offense after their dispute earlier in the month. Unfortunately, this relationship might be too far gone to repair.

Would the NY Jets trade Elijah Moore at the deadline?

Moore spoke to the media after the game and provided a blunt, candid assessment of the current situation. He expressed remorse for the news of his trade request going public and becoming a distraction, but he made it clear that he didn't regret the request itself.

As far as what he wants, that also seems pretty clear. Moore wants the ball. He wants to play a featured role in an NFL offense and receive his fair share of targets. Right now, that's not happening with the Jets.

And with Zach Wilson playing the way he's playing, who knows if that'll happen at any point this season.

Moore and the Jets are at a crossroads with very little time to make a decision. The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday at 4 pm ET. The Jets don't want to sell low on Moore, but it also might not be wise to keep a guy who doesn't want to be there around in the locker room.

In theory, this relationship can be fixed, but it'll require the Jets to budge and make Moore a featured part of their offense. That wasn't even happening when the two were on good terms — now, he's losing snaps to Denzel Mims and Jeff Smith.

All things considered, it still feels unlikely that the Jets do trade Moore simply because it's just not in Joe Douglas' DNA to ship a player away for less than his perceived value. Unless another team is willing to give up a second-round pick and then some, it's hard to believe the Jets will trade Moore.

But after his comments on Sunday and his obvious lack of a role in the offense, it's fair to wonder what the best course of action is moving forward. There's a greater than zero chance that Elijah Moore has already played his last game with the Jets.

It may not be the most likely scenario, but it's certainly a possibility.

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