Is Randy Moss a Good Fit For Patriots?
Former New England Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss announced Monday that he plans on returning to the NFL. The seven-time pro bowler who played with the Patriots from 2007-2010 retired on August 1, 2011 after spending 2010 with the Patriots, Minnesota Vikings, and Tennessee Titans.
The Patriots are in desperate need of a deep threat receiver and will likely be looking to free agency this offseason to fill that hole. Players such as Vincent Jackson, Reggie Wayne, and Brandon Lloyd have been discussed as possible free agent acquisitions for the team. So should the Patriots acquire Randy Moss?
Moss has been seen as a player most interested in his own production for the majority of his career. Much like a player the Patriots had in 2011 in Chad Ochocinco, it’s been personal accolades that have driven him. And that may have been what drove him out of New England. Moss’s final game in New England was in week four of 2010 when he had an altercation with then offensive coordinator and play-caller Bill O’Brien. He did not record a catch on that Monday Night Football game against the Miami Dolphins for the first time in his Patriots career. Two days following the game, the Patriots traded Moss to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for a third-round selection in the 2011 NFL Draft.
While the breakup between Moss and the Patriots was ugly, the original acquisition was a success. The Patriots acquired Moss from the Oakland Raiders during the 2007 NFL Draft for a fourth-round selection in that year’s draft. In his first year in New England, he was just what the Patriots were hoping for. In his 16 regular season games that year, he caught 98 passes for 1,493 yards for an average of 15.2 yards per catch and caught 23 touchdowns. In Super Bowl XLII, Moss caught the go ahead touchdown that gave the Patriots a 13-10 lead with 2:42 remaining in the game.
Though Moss never achieved the same personal success he had in 2007, he started every game for the Patriots over the next two seasons averaging 76 catches for 1,136 yards and 12 touchdowns. In his first three seasons in New England, his lowest average yards per catch was 14.6. That’s more than current receiving leaders Wes Welker and Deion Branch have had in their entire careers.
Moss’s final year of 2010 saw his number drop significantly and the player became dissatisfied with his position on the team. For the first time in more than three years, Moss played in a game where he didn’t start. In his four games in 2010, Moss caught nine passes for 139 yards and three touchdowns. At that rate, Moss would’ve ended his season with 36 receptions for 556 yards and 12 touchdowns. His blowup with O’Brien saw Moss shifting away from the team first Moss of 2007 and more toward the me first Moss from Minnesota and Oakland.
There’s no doubt that if the Patriots could bring back the Randy Moss from 2007, it would be a positive for the team. But the question is, is there a way to get that Moss. If the answer is yes, he might be able to lift the Patriots to the next level. If the answer is no, he would be nothing more than a distraction and a problem in the locker room. While it has been speculated that quarterback Tom Brady was not fond of Moss in his final years in New England, the two-time MVP has said that he would welcome Moss back to the Patriots. It’s likely that the Patriots will pass on Moss and bring in another free agent but this announcement gives the defending AFC champions one more decision to make.
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