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Former Alabama Star in Serious Jeopardy With NFL Team
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- Former Alabama Star in Serious Jeopardy With NFL Team
(Will McLelland-Imagn Images)
Former Alabama Crimson Tide safety Malachi Moore played in all 17 games with the New York Jets during his rookie NFL campaign, starting 14 of them.
During that time, Moore totaled 101 tackles, three passes defended and a forced fumble while posting a 58.9 overall grade at Pro Football Focus.
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Wholly impressive? No. Something to build upon? Perhaps.
But Moore might not even get the chance to continue improving in his second season. At least not with the Jets.
Why? Because in New York 's first preseason game last Friday, Moore did not take the field until the team's third and fourth-string players were in the contest, which is obviously not a great sign for his chances of earning playing time.
In fact, some feel that the 24-year-old may be closer to getting cut than he actually is to making the roster.
New York Jets defensive back Malachi Moore. Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images.
Minkah Fitzpatrick , another former Alabama defensive back, is one of the Jets' two starting safeties. Andre Cisco , Dane Belton and Moore are competing for the other spot, and clearly, Moore is well behind in the battle.
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New York acquired both Fitzpatrick and Belton during the offseason, so it was already clear the Jets felt they had need at the position. But it is now also becoming abundantly obvious that New York feels Moore is potential cut fodder.
Moore spent five years at Alabama between 2020 and 2024. He was a legitimate contributor to the Crimson Tide's national championship squad during his freshman campaign and received regular playing time throughout his tenure in Tuscaloosa.
The Jets then selected Moore in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and while he was a bit undersized at 5-foot-11, 196 pounds, New York liked his ability to play either safety or nickelback.
That did not pan out too well for Moore during his debut season in the pros, and that is certainly been reflected in his reps this summer.
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There is still time between now and the season opener for Moore to make a move on the Jets' depth chart, but you have to imagine it will prove difficult for him to supplant either Cisco or Belton, a couple of more proven veterans.
