The New York Jets made a couple of roster moves on Wednesday that saw them reshuffle their wideout corps. The team traded wide receiver Elijah Moore to the Cleveland Browns and then quickly replaced him with free agent WR Mecole Hardman.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Jets sent Moore and a third-round selection in 2023 to the Browns while receiving a second-round pick in this year’s draft.
Hardman, on the other hand, got a one-year contract that can max out at $6.5 million.
Many believe that the Jets opted to swap Moore for Hardman in order to get more draft compensation that they could use to land star quarterback Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers. The New York team has been negotiating with the Packers for a while now, but the two teams have been unable to agree to a deal so far.
Elijah Moore, the Jets’ second-round pick in 2021, has shown flashes of talent since entering the league but has failed to produce on a consistent level so far in his pro career. He has a total of 80 catches for 984 yards and six touchdowns in the past two seasons.
Mecole Hardman, who is also a former second-round selection, spent the past four years with the Kansas City Chiefs. His numbers are also not exactly eye-catching, as he has 151 catches for 2,088 yards and 16 TDs since 2019.
