Trading Randy Moss Was A Terrible Idea

Yesterday the New England Patriots traded Randy Moss to the Minnesota Vikings for a third round draft pick in 2011. I hate the trade and it sickens me that much more that we have now compared Moss so closely to Laurence Maroney who we traded to Denver for a 2011 fourth round pick.

If you're going to trade Randy Moss then fine, do it, but for a third round draft pick is absolutely absurd. I know that no team in their right mind is going to trade their first round pick for any player during the season, but for a Randy Moss you need to get at the very least a second rounder tacked on to that third round pick. They could have even shopped him elsewhere and gotten a second or third with a future first, anything but a straight up deal for a third round pick that they would have received anyway if Moss walked away as a free agent at the end of the season.

Don't tell me that Randy Moss had a bad attitude! Moss stepped up to the podium after week 1 and spilled his heart out to the Patriot fans. He said it straight up and simple. He was upset that he hadn't been re-signed, he wanted to be re-signed and retire in New England but he wasn't going to complain about it all season and was going to go out and play every game to the best of his ability.

Where Does The Patriots Offense Go From Here?

All of a sudden we win a Monday Night game against division opponent Miami where Moss was targeted on 1 time and overthrown during a blowout victory and we act as if we don't need him at all. Granted, we won the game and Randy Moss has no visible effect on the victory. Look at it like this though, how many games of the 12 left in the regular season do you think Patrick Chung will block two kicks and special teams will score twice? Without Moss on the field, how will the offense continue to run the ball effectively with defenses stacking eight men in the box and putting their #1 corner on Wes Welker because they don't have to double cover Randy?

Unless we're able to re-install and execute the offense from the early 2000's when Brady was usually throwing the ball 5 yards to gain 30+, how are we going to move the ball up field? Do you really think Ben Jarvis Green-Ellis is a capable back with eight in the box? Maybe future hall of famer Danny Woodhead will have enough power to gain the necessary yards on a 3rd and 2? If that fails, we can always try to throw it to our deep threats Brandon Tate (2nd year) and Matthew Slater (8 year special teamer that was originally cut from the team).

Don't even try to get me excited that we may entice Vincent Jackson to come to New England either, because what will we have to give up for him? Not a third round draft pick. I'd rather have Moss with a bad attitude than give away more for a troubled Vincent Jackson who just blatently disrespected his team and forfeitted six games of the season because of money. The Patriots don't work like that and we all know it.

It's Not Over, But Look At The Facts

I'm not throwing in the towel and saying that the season's over, but for those of you who are happy that we got rid of Randy Moss and think that it's going to make the team better, get real! I understand if you're trying to make yourself feel better by saying things like that, but stop lying to yourself and anyone else who will listen. What's done is done, Randy Moss is gone, I'm going to miss him and so will you after you see us struggle without him in two weeks.

Thanks to steveglass for the picture of Randy Moss.
Thanks to jdn for the photo of Wes Welker.