Why sign a speedy wide receiver at this point in the season?

Sean Payton has said many times that, as far as his rosters go, any player they bring in is a player that they have a vision for.

For many in Broncos Country, the signing of Elijah Moore makes no sense whatsoever. I’m going to be completely honest and state that I was surprised by the signing at first glance.

But after getting some time to chew on the idea, I have to think this move has to have a clear reason.

The No Bull truth is that our wide receiver group is not a top-tier unit. They lack a true playmaking #1 target. They lack a reliable #2 who makes teams pay for double-teaming the #1 WR. Sutton, Franklin, Engram, and Bryant have all dropped far too many passes in my mind.

But then, let’s talk about what Moore brings to the table. First off, this guy is an absolute burner. I think he may be able to beat Mimms and Franklin in a straight-up race. I think he’s also got more quickness in changing direction than either of them.

But I also think this speaks to Sean Payton’s view on his wide receiver room. We’re 12 games into the season, and this move to me says that he thinks his receivers aren’t making enough progress in sharpening their game. This is probably aimed more at Mims and Franklin than anyone else. Making a move like this may be sending a message to his players that he’s going to look elsewhere if they don’t start demonstrating more success.

My final theory is that this is truly a chess piece. Payton has an idea that could help the team win games that has a specific role for a player like Moore. Maybe he’s a missing puzzle piece to what this offense needs in its passing attack, especially given the lack of a solid run game behind it.

As the season wears on, we will pretty clearly see which theory is accurate based on playing time, impact, and personnel moves.