Former Atlanta Falcon wide receiver Rondale Moore signed with the Minnesota Vikings this offseason. Earlier on Saturday, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert reported that the 5th-year wide receiver suffered the injury from a controversial tackle that was banned by the NFL..
“Rondale Moore has a ‘pretty significant’ left knee injury, per ( Vikings head coach) Kevin O’Connell,” Seifert reported on X. “He said the play had some characteristics of a hip drop tackle but would seek more clarity. Given Moore’s injury history, O’Connell said today was ‘heartbreaking.’”
Atlanta acquired Moore during the 2024 offseason through a trade with the Arizona Cardinals. The Falcons sent the Cardinals quarterback Desmond Ridder in exchange for Moore.
Unfortunately, the speedy receiver never got to take a snap for Atlanta after injuring his right knee in a joint practice with the Miami Dolphins on August 8th, 2024. He was immediately sent to IR and did not make a return to the field.
Now, almost exactly a year later, Moore has been injured again, this time during a preseason game. Heartbreaking.
Moore was drafted by the Cardinals in the 2021 NFL draft, taken 49th overall out of Purdue. He had his best season numbers-wise in his rookie year, recording 435 receiving yards and 78 rushing yards, and a touchdown.
While he never had more than 435 receiving yards in a season, Moore had 530 total yards from scrimmage (352 receiving, 178 rushing) in 2023 and two total touchdowns. He has reeled in one receiving touchdown each season that he has played at least one game in the NFL.
Moore has ridiculous speed, clocking in a 4.33 40-yard dash per ESPN. NFL draft analyst Todd McShay loved Moore when he was coming out of Purdue.
“He’s so good with the ball in his hands, and to me, in the NFL, you want that more than ever. McShay said in 2021. “You want a guy that can work the short game, the screen game, the reverses and the different kinds of ways to get the ball in their hands.”
During Moore’s last season with the Cardinals (the last season he played an NFL snap), they were finding different ways to get the ball in his hands. Against the Dallas Cowboys, they let Moore take the snap as a running back, and he ran it 45 yards for a touchdown.
Moore could have been used in the Falcons offense in a similar way that Ray-Ray McCloud was used last season, when he put up career numbers across the board. Similarly, with the Vikings and a great offensive coach in Kevin O’Connell, Moore would have fit in well as a great versatile threat in the offense.
It is unfortunate that the 25-year-old former Falcon wide receiver has suffered what looks to be major injuries in back-to-back years.
-1754100176-q80.webp "Jets Trade Proposal Flips Promising Youngster, Pick for Terry McLaurin")
