The Buffalo Bills have seen a promising season come to an end at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs in four of the last five years. The Baltimore Ravens and other AFC teams certainly deserve respect, but the organization’s top priority should be solving the KC Rubik’s Cube. That is just the reality of the situation.
Although he will not say it, general manager Brandon Beane surely hopes he added some players who can make winning plays in a potential postseason showdown with Patrick Mahomes and company. The Bills have squandered key opportunities on offense in back-to-back years, so someone must step up if they are finally going to clear this perpetually impassable hurdle. Can Elijah Moore be that guy?
Buffalo’s new wide receiver does not jump out as a likely playoffs hero, but there may not be a prototypical star pass-catcher on this squad. Moore could realistically occupy a valuable role for the offense. Though, regardless of what his workload will be, he is excited to work with the reigning MVP.
The 25-year-old is in awe of Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
“When I wasn’t in, I was just watching him, because obviously I’m on the other side of it now,” Moore said, via Mike Moraitis of Buffalo Bills on SI. “I’ve been playing against him for going into four years now, and it just looked better now that he’s on my side. The balls were pretty. The way that he practices, he jokes around, but at the same time, he’s locked in.”
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Allen received a personal coronation last year, but the season still ended in despair. It is obvious how desperate he and all of Buffalo are to exorcise those demons and finally get to the Super Bowl. Completing that perennially elusive objective requires him to build a strong rapport with his receivers.
Khalil Shakir is expected to lead the group for a second straight year, Keon Coleman is positioned to take a leap forward and free-agent signings (and high school teammates) Joshua Palmer and Elijah Moore could add crucial depth. One also cannot forget about the versatile Curtis Samuel and rookie Kaden Prather. This largely unheralded WR room has a chance to surprise people next season.
For Moore, who signed a one-year contract worth up to $5 million earlier this spring, the Bills offer the opportunity to grow and compete on a championship contender for the first time in his career. He has yet to validate the early second-round pick the New York Jets used on him in 2021. The former Ole Miss star took issue with his role on the team, requested a trade and eventually landed on the Cleveland Browns. He recorded 120 receptions for 1,178 yards and three touchdowns in 34 games with the AFC North squad.
The past is irrelevant to the Bills, though. Moore is getting a fresh start, and he can use it to help this long-tormented franchise reach the NFL summit.
