Robert Saleh Says Jets Trading Elijah Moore 'Not An Option,' Explains Why WR Won't Play Sunday

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New York Jets wide receiver Elijah Moore has reportedly requested a trade after taking a 'personal day' and missing practice on Thursday. While the former Ole Miss product may want out of New York, Jets head coach Robert Saleh says that isn't an option.

Speaking with the media on Friday, Saleh sent a clear message that Moore wouldn't be getting dealt. He also went on to explain why Moore won't play Sunday when the Jets visit the Denver Broncos.

"It's part of what we deal with every day," Saleh said. "We've had our discussions with Elijah. Trading him is not an option. We'll just keep working with him." 

"Elijah will not play this week."

Asked if Moore's absence from the team this weekend was a form of punishment, Saleh played it safe with his answer.

"In my view, whether we agree or not, it doesn't matter, to ask him to play a football game from where he is from a mental standpoint wouldn't be fair to him. But that's strictly my decision."

Elijah Moore Voices His Frustration

While Saleh's comments may be genuine, head coaches around the league have to send this sort of message when players aren't happy. Saleh, or any other NFL coach, must say a player isn't going to be traded to not cause a distraction within the locker room and keep a player's trade value intact.

Moore has 16 catches for 203 yards and zero touchdowns this season. He was targeted just once in the Jets' most recent win over the Green Bay Packers and shared his frustration on Twitter in a since-deleted tweet.

After leading the Jets in both targets and receiving yards a year ago, Garrett Wilson has emerged as the favorite target in New York. Wilson has caught 24 passes on 48 targets this season compared to Moore's 16 catches on 29 targets.

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Mark covers all sports at OutKick while keeping a close eye on the world of professional golf. He graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga before earning his master's degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee. He somehow survived living in Knoxville despite ‘Rocky Top’ being his least favorite song ever written. Before joining OutKick, he wrote for various outlets including SB Nation, The Spun, and BroBible. Mark was also a writer for the Chicago Cubs Double-A affiliate in 2016 when the team won the World Series. He's still waiting for his championship ring to arrive. Follow him on Twitter @itismarkharris.