The NFL’s discipline office already has Elijah Moore’s name on file this season. A few weeks ago, the league docked both Josh Allen and Moore $13,888 apiece for their joint “throat slash” celebration after a Week 9 Bills touchdown against the Chiefs, with the move classified as a “violent gesture” under the taunting guidelines. It was an expensive three seconds, especially for Moore, whose fine ate into a one-year, $2.5 million deal in Buffalo.
Now, he has a new home in the AFC and a new opportunity.
Veteran WR Elijah Moore is signing with the Broncos’ practice squad, per Tom Pelissero. Now on his fourth team in five NFL seasons, Moore has 209 career receptions for 2,274 yards and nine touchdowns as he heads to Denver looking for a stable role and a chance to contribute to a contender.
The timing lines up neatly with the Broncos’ push to protect the AFC’s top seed after their dramatic 27-16 overtime win against the Commanders. Denver has been riding Bo Nix, a suddenly stingy defense, and a balanced attack, but adding a receiver with Moore’s route-running chops and experience gives the staff another card to play if injuries or matchups demand tweaks down the stretch.
Starting on the practice squad gives both sides flexibility: Sean Payton can see how quickly Moore absorbs the system before deciding whether to promote him to the active roster.
Payton’s standards for this group remain sky-high, as he reminded everyone after the win over Washington. When asked if the Broncos are really chasing the No. 1 seed, he brushed off the premise as the “silliest question of the night,” stressing that Denver is absolutely competing for that top spot and pointing out that even Super Bowl teams have ugly wins on their resume.
For Moore, that mindset is the backdrop: Denver is not collecting names. If he can carve out a role and bring reliable depth to the receiver room, this late-season move could matter more than a typical practice-squad signing suggests.
