After selecting only one wide receiver in the NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills decided to go the free agency route to address their depth by signing WR Elijah Moore to a one-year deal on Wednesday.
This came two days after the Bills hosted him for a visit on Monday.
There has been some dispute over whether the Bills truly needed to add another wide receiver after they led the league in scoring last year and scored 30 points in eight straight games. Whatever the argument, the former second-round selection is still just 25 years old, ripe for another opportunity.
Read below for the full publicly reported injury history and analysis.
Injury History
College: Ole Miss
No publicly reported injuries.
NFL
2021 New York Jets
Quadriceps strain, preseason.
Moore suffered a quadriceps strain in practice on August 12 and missed 12 days, returning on August 24, missing two preseason games
Concussion, Week 3, missed 1 game.
Moore suffered a concussion playing against the Denver Broncos in Week 3 and missed the following week.
Quadriceps strain/COVID, Week 13, missed 5 games, went on IR.
He suffered another quadriceps strain playing against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 13 and was placed on injured reserve. During that time, he was also placed on the COVID reserve list. Once he was cleared, he was expected to return to play, but never did.
2022 Jets
Personal matter, Week 7, missed 1 game.
Moore missed one game due to a personal matter. During this time, Moore was requesting a trade, which was not successful.
2023 Cleveland Browns
Concussion, Week 17, missed 0 games.
Moore suffered a concussion right before halftime when he attempted to catch a pass over the middle. He was tackled by Jets LB CJ Mosley and hit the ground head-first. He later had convulsions before he was able to walk off with the training staff. He was sent to the hospital for further evaluation before being released and later cleared concussion protocol.
2024 Browns
Shoulder injury, Week 11, missed 0 games.
He dealt with a shoulder injury off and on through the second half of the season but did not miss any games. His snap count also did not drop off significantly.
Buffalo Bills Injury Analysis
Moore appeared to suffer the most injuries when he was with the Jets, dealing with a repeated quad strain and a concussion in his rookie year. He later suffered another concussion while with the Browns, making the head injuries the biggest concern for Moore moving forward. Finally, he was evaluated for a concussion during the 2024 preseason, missed one practice but then returned indicated he was assessed but found not to have a concussion. Nothing stands out as anything more glaring than anything else as he begins his stint with the Bills.
Looking at him as a whole, he is a talented receiver who has been in less-than-ideal situations with the Jets and Browns. He comes to Buffalo for a new start and a chance to secure the WR5 position in a deeper room, but with talent that drops off after the top four receivers. Moore also appears to be the latest veteran receiver that the Bills want to kick the tires on to see if they have something left. I would also add O.J. Howard to pass catchers that didn’t pan out with the Bills.
Final Thoughts
There is no real downside to signing Moore, as he could be something if he has competent quarterback play. If he doesn’t work out, the Bills don’t have a lot committed to him. We will see how this plays out during the spring and into training camp, but having extra bodies available can only create competition and allow the best to rise to the top.
Top Photo Credit: Gregory Shamus/Getty
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