CLEVELAND, Ohio — Former Browns receiver Elijah Moore went from a team that now has four different quarterbacks competing for the starting job, to the NFL MVP in Josh Allen.
Moore, 25, agreed to terms a one-year deal with the Bills on Wednesday worth up to $5 million. He visited with the AFC Champion-runnerups on Monday, and had a new home with that other team on Lake Erie by Wednesday.
Acquired in a trade with the Jets in 2023 for a second round pick, Moore finished third on the team with 61 receptions and second with 538 yards. He caught one touchdown pass. Overall, in his two seasons with the Browns, he caught 120 passes for 1,178 yards and three touchdowns
Moore was at times frustrated with his lack of targets last season, believing he has Pro Bowl ability. With Allen in Buffalo, he might have a chance to reach the second-round potential he flashed early on with the Jets, who drafted him in that round out of Ole Miss.
After he visited with the Bills on Monday, the Browns applied the seldom-used “May” unrestricted free agent tender worth $3.428 million, which they would’ve paid him to be on the roster in 2025 if he didn’t sign with another team before the deadline next month. Now that he’s signing with the Bills, he’ll count toward the Browns compensatory pick formula.
On Monday, the day Moore visited the Bills, the Browns agreed to terms with former Steelers 2019 third-round pick out of Toledo Diontae Johnson, who bounced around to three different teams last season.
The Browns hope they can get the 2021 Pro Bowl version of Johnson to show up in Cleveland. They also have Pro Bowler Jerry Jeudy, 2023 third-round pick Cedric Tillman and 2024 fifth-round pick Jamari Thrash.
They didn’t draft a wide receiver with any of their seven draft picks, but selected tight end Harold Fannin in the second round. With the Browns shifting back to Kevin Stefanski’s version of the West Coast offense, the Browns will play more two- and three-tight end sets this season.
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