Oregon QB Dante Moore is facing a choice that sounds completely wild, even unfathomable, and it could genuinely shake up his NFL Draft future. NBC Sports analyst Joshua Perry just threw out the idea that Moore might fake an injury to save his draft stock while appearing on the Zack Gelb Show this week. Seriously, a fake injury? That’s what we’re talking about in Eugene right now.
Ducks Season Is Going Sideways, FAST
Can you believe what’s happening with the Ducks? After being projected in the preseason for a College Football Playoff spot, and Moore himself in the Heisman conversation, things have gone totally sideways. Dan Lanning’s team lost to Oklahoma State last weekend, which immediately sparked all this crazy speculation about Moore’s future. And remember, they struggled big time against Boise State to open the 2026 season. So much for those preseason hype trains, huh? There’s even talk that Oklahoma State figured out Moore’s formation by his feet structure. If things keep crashing like this for Oregon, Perry is openly wondering if Moore will just pull the rip cord.
Moore’s Stats Tell a Story, But Perry Sees the Mess
Moore was projected as a first-rounder in last year’s NFL Draft, so there’s a ton on the line for him. He’s thrown for 569 yards with five touchdowns and zero interceptions so far this season. Those aren’t terrible numbers in a vacuum, right? But he’s also been sacked five times on just 66 pass attempts. Perry was pretty candid about it. “One of the things I will say is he’s still spinning it,” Perry said. “Dudes are out there dropping the ball. They’re not protecting very well. He is still spinning the rock. And I just, you might get to a point where you’re like, I’m not gonna be a part of the mess anymore.” Moore returned to Oregon for another shot at winning a national championship. Now? The Ducks are absolutely not in good shape for a Playoff run after that Oklahoma State loss. They could rally in Big Ten play, sure, but an at-large bid is looking like the best bet, and even that’s a long shot.
Protecting the Investment: A Business Decision?
This is where it gets absolutely wild and a little bit unsettling, but you can see the logic. Perry thinks if protecting his NFL stock is the real priority, Moore would benefit massively by not returning for the rest of the season. Think about it: this decision could save Moore not only guaranteed NFL money but also his future business interests. “If I were his people, I would totally spin it,” Perry admitted. “I would do the PR. He didn’t quit on the team. The team quit on him before, and he didn’t want to be a part of that anymore. It’s a business he’s protecting, his investment to himself.” He added, “If I had $50 million riding on what was going on, and I felt like the best strategy was to just pull the ripcord and not be a part of an offense that wasn’t gonna let me thrive the way that I need to, it’s business at that point.” It’s not “the most quarterback thing to do,” as Perry notes, but when that much money is on the line, the game changes.
Oregon hosts Portland State this Saturday to wrap up non-conference play, before a huge Big Ten opener at No. 12 USC. What will Moore do? His future, and potentially the future of how players handle these situations, is on the line.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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