Elijah Moore was disgruntled with the Jets. The Browns hope a change of scenery unleashes the speedy, young receiver.
Browns GM Andrew Berry punctuates fourth transaction season by trading for Jets receiver Elijah Moore
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Did Andrew Berry save the best for last?
In his biggest splash of the 2023 transaction season, Berry filled the pressing need for speed at the wide receiver position in a trade with the New York Jets.
The Browns acquired young, ascending receiver Elijah Moore from the New York Jets in exchange for Berry’s top pick in the 2023 draft, No. 42 overall.
The high cost was softened a bit when the Jets tossed in their third-round pick, No. 74 overall. So that stands as the Browns’ highest pick in the April 27-29 draft. Their next pick is after the third round, No. 98 overall, a compensatory pick for the defection of Kwesi Odofo-Mensah to the Minnesota Vikings GM position a year ago.
Berry has been pursuing a speedy wide receiver to complete the Browns’ offensive transition to quarterback Deshaun Watson since the season ended.
He had been in talks with the Denver Broncos for Jerry Jeudy for weeks. The Broncos are seeking to recoup high draft choices squandered in the trade for quarterback Russell Wilson last year and the hiring of former New Orleans coach Sean Payton this year. The price tag of a No. 2 plus a certified starting player was too high for Berry, so he worked an alternative.
Moore was the 34th overall pick of the 2021 draft, the sixth wide receiver taken starting with Ja’Marr Chase at No. 5 overall. Moore suffered from the growing pains of Jets quarterback Zach Wilson, the No. 2 overall pick of that draft, and became increasing frustrated over his first two seasons with his lack of targets. Moore asked for a trade at the November deadline last year and was made inactive as a result.
The turning point of the Jets' dilemma with Moore came when the Jets signed Kansas City Chiefs free agent Mecole Hardman on Wednesday, which created a surplus in the Jets’ receivers room. All along, the Jets were trying to acquire an extra high pick to complete a complex trade for Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.\
The trade of Moore leaves the Jets with the Nos. 42 and 43 picks in the second round, along with the No. 13 pick in the first round. It’s possible they might send both second-round picks to the Packers now to get the Rodgers deal done.
In Moore, the Browns are acquiring a highly rated receiver – ranked sixth by The Athletic’s Dane Brugler -- with two years NFL experience who turns 23 years old until March 27.
He is short “but not small with firm muscle definition,” wrote Brugler in his 2021 draft report. Moore (5-9 ½ and 178 pounds) turned in a 4.35 40 time at the 2021 NFL Combine. The only faster clockings among receivers were posted by future Brown Anthony Schwartz (4.25), Rondale Moore (4.31) and Ja’Marr Chase (4.34). Tutu Atwell also posted 4.35.
In two seasons with the Jets, with mostly draft-bust Wilson at quarterback, Moore had 80 receptions on 142 targets (56.3 percent catch rate) for 984 yards and six touchdowns.
Moore figures to fit as the slot receiver with the Browns – with Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones manning the outside spots -- as coach Kevin Stefanski seeks to provide Watson with more three-receiver formations. Moore lined up about 50 percent of the time in the slot for the Jets last year.
Welcome back
Linebacker Anthony Walker agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Browns. Walker visited the Washington Commanders this week but left without a contract.
Walker is the fifth Browns free agent brought back by Berry. The others are center Ethan Pocic, linebacker Sione Takitaki, linebacker-special teamer Jordan Kunaszyk, and backup quarterback Josh Dobbs.
Walker suffered a severe quad injury in the third game of 2022 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Walker’s leadership was felt immediately, resulting in destructive communication problems on the defense. The Browns lost their next four games. An epidemic of injuries to the linebacker position followed, sidelining Jacob Phillips, Takitaki and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, derailing the Browns’ playoff hopes.
Double-O on board
Free agent defensive end Ogbonnia Okoronkwo was introduced by the Browns via Zoom conference.
The Browns hope that Okoronkwo, 28 in April, can replace departed Jadeveon Clowney as the pass-rush complement to Myles Garrett. But Okoronkwo, 6-1 1/2 and 253 pounds, won't be as stout vs. the run as the 6-5, 255-pound Clowney. How defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz accomodates Okoronkwo's limitations vs. the run will be an ongoing project.
In his fourth season, first with the Houston Texans, Okoronkwo opened eyes with five sacks in his last six games. He had sacks against the Browns, Cowboys, Titans and Jaguars in that stretch.
“I think it was just more opportunity,” Okoronkwo said. “I went from playing anywhere from eight to 10 snaps to 30. When you get more snaps and more opportunity, you get to do more things with it. I feel like when I got moved to the starting position, I took full advantage of it.
“I think the best is yet to come for me. I don’t think anybody has seen my best ball yet. I am excited to show everybody.”
