NY Jets WR Elijah Moore's trade request came after 'outburst' in practice

NY Jets wide receiver Elijah Moore was excused from Thursday's practice for what was originally described as a "personal day" by head coach Robert Saleh.

In reality, Moore was sent home after a dispute during practice that resulted in a conversation between the second-year wideout and his coaching staff. Ultimately the decision was made to send him home early with the hope that cooler heads would prevail.

Needless to say, they didn't.

SNY's Connor Hughes reported on Thursday that Moore "had an 'uncharacteristic outburst' before practice on Thursday that surprised teammates and angered coaches."

Hughes indicated that Moore spoke with both Saleh and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur following the "outburst" and that the three mutually decided it would be best for Moore to return home and take the day off.

The hope was that the two sides could "reconvene on Friday to figure out how best to get Moore going." That's what makes Moore's trade request all the more surprising.

It blindsided Saleh, LaFleur, and everyone in the Jets building. This was not an expected outcome or even an outcome they believed was possible — but it's what happened.

The NY Jets don't plan to trade Elijah Moore despite his 'outburst'

Hughes went into further detail in his report about what led to Moore's eventual trade request. Moore reportedly complained to teammates following the Jets' 27-10 victory over the Green Bay Packers about his lack of targets.

This is a situation that has been brewing for weeks. Moore believed he would be the focal point of the Jets' offense entering the 2022 season, only to be used sparingly with Joe Flacco under center.

The 22-year-old was optimistic his role would increase upon Zach Wilson's return. Instead, the opposite happened and Moore was rendered somewhat of an afterthought. He's hauled in just one catch over the last two weeks and wasn't targeted in Week 6.

Of course, part of this is a result of the game flow that saw the Jets complete just 10 passes this past Sunday, but that doesn't seem to matter for Moore who believes he deserves to be the guy in the Jets' offense.

It seems unlikely that Moore suits up for the team's Week 7 matchup with the Denver Broncos on Sunday, but it seems just as unlikely that the Jets actually decide to trade Moore. After all, they have all the leverage in the situation.

Elijah Moore's frustration has been brewing for weeks, and it all came to a head on Thursday. It remains to be seen what the future holds for both Moore and the Jets.