ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills agreed to sign receiver Elijah Moore to a one-year contract potentially worth $5 million, a person with knowledge of the deal confirmed to The Associated Press on Wednesday.
The person spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because the Bills have not announced the agreement first reported by ESPN.com.
Moore has four seasons of NFL experience including the past two with Cleveland where he combined for 120 catches for 1,178 yards and three touchdowns in 34 games.
The 25-year-old was selected by the Jets in the second round of the 2021 draft out of Mississippi. He had 80 catches for 984 yards and six TDs in 27 games with New York before being traded to Cleveland in March 2023.
Listed at 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, Moore joins the Bills after general manager Brandon Beane received criticism for not addressing the receiver position until selecting Kaden Prather in the seventh round of the draft on Saturday.
Moore was already scheduled to visit the Bills for a workout on Monday, when Beane responded to the criticism during an interview on Buffalo’s WGR-AM radio.
Beane said he was focused on addressing his team’s most pressing needs while also following his draft board in using Buffalo’s first five selections and six of nine on defensive players. He also defended his approach by noting much of the offense returns intact after the Josh Allen-led unit ranked second in the NFL in scoring last season despite receiver Stefon Diggs being traded to Houston a year ago.
Moore will compete for a backup spot at a position that returns Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman and Curtis Samuel. Buffalo also added receivers Joshua Palmer and Laviska Shenault in free agency to compensate for the losses of Mack Hollins and Amari Cooper.
The Browns, meantime, placed an unrestricted free agent tender on Moore this week. Though Moore was free to sign elsewhere, his departure now factors into the NFL’s formula in determining whether to award Cleveland a compensatory pick in next year’s draft.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
