The Denver Broncos have again been bandied as a potential landing spot for veteran wide receiver Elijah Moore, who remains unsigned nearly a month after the opening of NFL free agency.
On Wednesday, Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon stated the Broncos "make sense" for the dynamic 25-year-old. Gagnon also named the Raiders, Cardinals, Rams, and Giants as possible suitors.
"A former early-second-round pick with elite speed can still offer plenty in this league, especially considering that Moore just turned 25. ... It hasn’t panned out in New York or Cleveland, but in his defense, that was New York and Cleveland. ... He’s been tied to the Raiders, who make the most sense as a team that needs a field-stretcher for Geno Smith. The Broncos, Cardinals, Rams and Giants also make sense," he wrote.
Entering his fifth NFL campaign, Moore has totaled 200 career catches for 2,162 receiving yards and nine touchdowns across 61 games (40 starts) with the Jets and Browns. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Ole Miss product drew pre-draft comparisons to Antonio Brown due to his speed (4.35 forty) and dynamism (36-inch vertical jump).
"Ultra-competitive slot target with the talent and mindset to handle a heavy amount of targets and shine in the process," reads his 2021 scouting profile. "He's not very big, but he's stronger than his measurables might suggest and he's shown a fearlessness to make the catch despite impending punishment. Moore has the short-area quickness to snap off crisp routes underneath for separation and the play speed to challenge over the top as well as work the deep middle. He has soft, sure hands and above-average ball skills with a great feel for spatial awareness to hit the sweet spots when working against zone. While longer, more physical cornerbacks could slow him a little bit in the NFL, his athletic profile and playing demeanor should lead evaluators to believe he will be a very good pro early in his career."
Save for the addition of special-teamer Trent Sherfield, and though things could change in the upcoming draft, the Broncos left their WR corps untouched this offseason. Moore, if signed, would likely compete with Marvin Mims for No. 2 targets behind Courtland Sutton.
"I would say we felt good coming out of it. We felt like our team got better from a football makeup standpoint and toughness," head coach Sean Payton said Monday of the club's free-agent moves. "We will continue to use that momentum as we get closer to the draft and then even after the draft.”
