Looks like Randy Moss may be staying put. Multiple sources are reporting that Moss and the Patriots are just about finished on a 3 year, 27 million dollar deal. Guess they are still playing around with guaranteed money and such, so it's not "done" yet, but it sounds pretty locked up. That's a big relief. After losing a few big names right away, securing Moss will be huge. Also means that the offense will be back pretty much as-is from the 2007 team (stallworth wasn't a big part), so at the very least, they can take the pressure off of the defense that way. Still need to figure out the defensive side, though. An obvious need for 1-2 corners. Ty Law may be part of that plan, or at least he's hinting that he would like to be. May be something that gets looked at in the draft, as well. Linebacker is the other obvious hole. Bruschi coming back helps, although doesn't finish it. Seau had shoulder surgery, and hasn't decided if he will be back yet. Aside from the injury, appeared to have more left in the tank. Only question I have is about Rosevelt Colvin. He was cut as a salary cap casualty, but haven't heard anything about him talking to anyone yet no rumors with his name on them. He'd definitely be an asset if he was brought back, as I was expecting it was going to be a "cut and renegotiate" deal, but then never heard anything else...
I loved Asante Samuel's press conference with the Eagles. Why did he sign with Philly? 'Cause he wants to win and get back to a Super Bowl. Man, it's a shame the Patriots gave him no opportunities to achieve those goals. Maybe this mediocre Eagles team is just the ticket he needs after all...
yep, he's an idiot. You could at least respect it if they just came out and said that they wanted the big contract so that their family would be set for life. "Wanting to be on a winning team" when you just played in the Superbowl and went 18-1, that's just stupid... Randy Moss deal is official, by the way. 3 years, 27 million. 15 of which is guaranteed.
They do it for the money, for the most part. I don't see why they lie about it, everyone knows that's the case. Interesting on the Moss deal. Pretty short, and I'm kinda surprised that only $12 million is guaranteed, but $9 million a year is nice. Did you all see Big Ben's contract extension? $102 million over eight years. $36 million guaranteed.
Not necessarily. Moss is 31, and despite the fact that he's coming off a season for the ages, there's no denying the statistical trend which indicates that both running backs and wide receivers have their best days behind them, rather than in front of him. The three-year deal makes sense for both parties. This way, the Patriots aren't locked into paying big money, long-term, for a declining receiver, and if Moss pulls a Jerry Rice and is still a viable wideout well into his 30s, he can sign another deal for the same (or better) money. I think the other thing to remember about this deal is that Scott Pioli, the Patriots' VP of player personnel, has a very well-deserved reputation as a shrewd talent evaluator and a brilliant salary cap manager. And Pioli very clearly understands that long-term contracts in the NFL are foolish (outside of obvious megadeals like Brady), simply because it's very hard to consistently field a playoff-caliber team. Four years from now, the Patriots could be in a rebuilding phase and have no need for an expensive, aging receiver ... which is why I think this is really a smart deal.
Yeah, I don't pay much attention to what players say when they sign a contract, unless I want to take joy out of the stupidity of it (my favorite was Eric Lindros who was excited to play for his childhood hero, Bobby Clarke, and, later, was excited to play with his childhood hero Mark Messier when he went to the Rangers. I wonder if he was excited playing with/for his childhood hero when he went to the Maple Leafs). Some people do think it's a sign of accomplishment when they take a mediocre team and turn it into a threat, though. And, if the Eagles are healthy, they're still a threat. Will the Eagles be healthy? To quote Steve Fredericks, I don't have the foggiest idea. At this point, too many of their players seem to be getting consistent injuries for me to be comfortable with them. But they'll certainly be better than last year. Still, I think it's pretty obvious he signed for the money EDIT: About Randy Moss. Apparently, the Eagles took a shot at getting him too (offering more than New England did). But I think it's pretty obvious he's in the best situation he could be in (not necessarily just because of the chance of winning, but the fact that he's still well-paid and because being with Brady gives him the best shot of being thrown the ball a lot).
I wouldn't begrudge him the money angle. "Hey, I wanted to cash in, and the Pats wouldn't do it. I hope to still be able to win and get to a Super Bowl with the Eagles." That would have been fine. Don't make me laugh about that being why he signed with the Eagles though. Alidar, I agree they'll be a threat, but I don't know if they'll have enough to be a serious threat to make the Super Bowl. It would help if the NFC continues to be down a bit though.
Smart move on Moss' part. I think his stint in Oakland taught him the value of having talented teammates around you. With his personality, New England is about the only team that does suit him: There's enough talent there to dampen his ego and allow him just play good ball.
^yep, there was a slight nervous moment or two when they didn't annouce a deal in hand when free agency started, but it all worked out. It was too good a fit NOT to. Randy Moss would be out of the league if Belichick didn't rescue him last year. He was deemed to pretty much be unredeemable. The Pats brought him back into form, and revived his career. Puts him back on the trajectory for the Hall. Also, he's on a winning team, with a good coach and ownership, and has a 1st-ballot HOFer in his prime throwing the ball his way. As long as the money wasn't insulting, it would have been hard to justify walking away from that. He could take more money elsewhere, but that's how he got into the mess he was in in Oakland. Good move all around. Moss gets his money/years, Brady gets a legitimate target, didn't break the bank, and all is well. In other, smaller news, the Pats resigned Jabar Gaffney to a 1-year deal. Since Moss and Welker are the primary targets, he'll slot in nicely as the #3 guy. Also could be used to push Chad Jackson, see if we can get anything from him. Kelly Washington may also be in the mix more at WR now that he's had more time to adjust to the system. Pats' offense finally looks like it's set (Sammy Morris at RB will be back, so that's the other RB), now it's time to use the draft and the FA scrapheap to see what can be done about patching up the defense. Still have needs at CB and ILB.
Not really. Moss was traded to Oakland, he wasn't a free agent who signed with them after the Raiders won a bidding war.
Did I say that? Just saying he was in a situation where he was making lots of money, but not on a good team, or in a happy situation. Him having experienced that, it seemed unlikely that he'd WANT to repeat it when he could take *slightly* less money and have a first-ballot HOFer throwing him the ball, on a team that's been on somewhat of a roll lately. How he GOT to Oakland really isn't material to the conversation. Just that he'd been making lots of money but on a bad team, and clearly showed that he was unhappy with that situation...
Um, yes it is. Your statement, "He could take more money elsewhere, but that's how he got into the mess he was in in Oakland." implies that Moss is faced with the same choice now as he was back then and that he chose Oakland (thereby putting himself in a bad situation) because he was going for the big bucks. He got into a bad situation in Oakland not because he was going for the money, but because thats who the Vikings chose as a trading partner. Their choice, not his. Unlike before, he actually has a choice now.
No one ever said Moss had a choice with regards to Oakland (he didn't). The point was, his experience there made him realize that when he did have a choice, he knew what he needed. Moss has an ego, and as much as he (and his agent) were probably looking at the money, he also thought about what was best for his career in the long run. And for that, his best move was staying with the Pats.
I think Moss always knew that it was better to go to a team that helped his career in the long run rather than simply going for the money. At least I've seen no evidence to the contrary. This was the reason I originally posted. It was implied that Moss went for the money, and thats how he ended up in Oakland, which of course is not true. In fact, I've seen no indication that Moss has ever disregarded what was best for his career by going for the money.
I honestly do not understand the Lions at all. Half the people they signed last year in free agency have left. Why even bother signing people if you're just going to do that? Prime example is TJ Duckett. Sign him, barely play him, let him go. You do suck Matt Millen.
The Rams have brought Trent Green back to St. Louis with a 3 year deal. I suppose he's an upgrade from Gus Frerrote, but I'd rather develop some youth. I don't think Brock Berlin is the future of the franchise. I guess the Rams just prefer their quarterbacks to have concussion histories. At least Green dfidn't do it to himself like ol' Gus....