Moss is gone; traded to Vikings for 3rd rounder

[Witch-King]

Wow, no more Randy Moss? That's a huge shame -- honestly, I don't think there will ever again be an NFL team as dominant as the 2007 New England Patriots...

[Cman]

 Not sure anyone posted this, but I was listening on the radio (98.5) and they said that if Moss just played out the year and left, the Pats would get a 3rd rounder as their compensatory pick.

According to Reiss, this is incorrect because of Moss' number of accrued seasons (news to me).  Highest would have been 5th.
http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots

Yeah, apparently this is a fairly obscure rule.  The Steelers were burned by it when they lost Alan Faneca (it had been widely reported that they were in line for a 3rd rounder).

So, a season of Moss + a 2012 5th rounder, or Moss' salary and a 2011 3rd.  I would have still kept Moss.

Yes, completely agree.

As I've said before, the only reasonable explanation is that there were larger off-field issues than we were led to believe.

The one plus for teh Pats is that this happens during their bye week so they can work on figuring out new plays for the others.

I agree with crownsy -- Wes Welker is going to be feeling a lot of pain.

[crownsy]

I also wonder how they will deal with Wes being double covered. Without a deep threAt, the safety is goof to be in the box anyway, I would imagine Wes is going to see a ton of bracket coverage now, with the corner forcing him inside to the safety doubling.

This would have made more sense if we had a dominate rb the defense had to respect.... We seem like a pretty mediocre west coast offense now

Another real good point fought up on week, if you knew this was coming as the patriots, which some ballaashers are suggesting, why didn't you draft fez Bryant and make a draft day move with moss?

This whole trade stinks and makes zero sense, we just punted he season at 3-1. Even more pressure on a young defense as I think the offense is really going to struggle with no back who can break one+ no deep threat. If this were madden I'd double we'd and put 9 in the box and dare this team to beat me deep

[crownsy]

Stupid I phone and it's auto corrections. Fez Bryant? Come on iPhone your better than that

[Chris]

I also wonder how they will deal with Wes being double covered. Without a deep threAt, the safety is goof to be in the box anyway, I would imagine Wes is going to see a ton of bracket coverage now, with the corner forcing him inside to the safety doubling.

This would have made more sense if we had a dominate rb the defense had to respect.... We seem like a pretty mediocre west coast offense now

Another real good point fought up on week, if you knew this was coming as the patriots, which some ballaashers are suggesting, why didn't you draft fez Bryant and make a draft day move with moss?

This whole trade stinks and makes zero sense, we just punted he season at 3-1. Even more pressure on a young defense as I think the offense is really going to struggle with no back who can break one+ no deep threat. If this were madden I'd double we'd and put 9 in the box and dare this team to beat me deep

Tate is still a deep threat...and frankly so is Welker.  Not to mention both of the rookie tight ends can stretch the field and will draw attention from the safety.  

It would be naive to think the loss of Moss will have no affect on Welkers ability to get open, but I don't think its going to be that dramatic.  

This offense still has a ton of weapons.  Welker is still an elite reciever, Tate looks like the real deal, as do the TE's, and Edelman is also very good.  Oh yeah, and we still have Tom Brady.  

This will certainly change the schemes a bit, but plenty of very good teams are successful with much less than what the Pats have.  

I also think this could help the defense a bit, because it will force them to be more of a ball control offense, which will keep them off the field more.  We will be seeing more 9 play drives, rather than 70 yard passes...and that may be a positive with this defense.

[celticsclay]

hate the short term, though I'm impressed with the long term haul

Wow: Pats will have double picks in rounds 1, 2, 3, 4 of 2011 draft. Their picks plus Oakland's 1, Carolina's 2, Minnesota's 3, Denver's 4.

http://twitter.com/Adam_Schefter

efficient and cold blooded - the Patriot way!

Too bad there terrible at drafting since they put bill in charge. No picks from 2006 draft left, 2007 pretty much a bust. 2008 only what, 2 players out of a draft they had a ton of picks in are any good? (mayo+Chung)

This is a horrible trade, plan and simple. They could have let him walk at the end of the year.

You traded our only deep threat for nothing. Enjoy getting killed by safeties Wes and the running game, no ones doubling Brandon Tate.

I totally agree. What the hell? Do we think that Brady is 25 and we are rebuilding. In back to back seasons we have given up our best defensive player and arguable our best offensive skill position players for draft picks. Its cool the seymore pick may work out, but most likely by the time these players are contributers Brady will be retired. We could go another 10 15 years or longer before we have another chance to win with a quarterback like Brady (look at the other teams starting QB's). You can not give up the chance to win super bowls. WT heck are we doing?

[crownsy]

Chris, Wes  is not a deep threat. He's under six feet tall and not particularly fast off the line. His strength is his cuts and quickness in tight spots.

Brandon Tate is not a deep threat until he consistsly proves he can get open over the top. I have yet to see that

As to the te's, they stretch the field because moss has run off the corner and safety so they can work the lb tithe sideline, that's gone now.

We'll still move the ball, we have Tom Brady at an, but the downgrade to our offense will be quite significant. I figure they are going to go from scoring mid theories a game to mid twenties at best. Hope that young defense is ready, I don't think they are.

[crownsy]

Wow, no more Randy Moss? That's a huge shame -- honestly, I don't think there will ever again be an NFL team as dominant as the 2007 New England Patriots...

Not stat wise, but they don't get to be called dominate without a sb win. They chocked when it mattered most

[Rondo2287]

So when i looked into it

Holmes was traded to the Jets for a 5th rounder.  and misses the first 4 games due to suspension

Moss traded for a 3rd rounder and misses first 4 games cause he was with the pats

While Moss Blows him away in touchdowns their receptions and yards were very close last year

Moss, 83 rec 1264 yds
Holmes, 79 Rec 1248 yds

[Chris]

So when i looked into it

Holmes was traded to the Jets for a 5th rounder.  and misses the first 4 games due to suspension

Moss traded for a 3rd rounder and misses first 4 games cause he was with the pats

While Moss Blows him away in touchdowns their receptions and yards were very close last year

Moss, 83 rec 1264 yds
Holmes, 79 Rec 1248 yds

Yup, and I believe Lynch was just traded for a 4th rounder.  This is pretty fair value for Moss.  The only question is whether this is the Pats punting the season or not.

[Roy H.]

So when i looked into it

Holmes was traded to the Jets for a 5th rounder.  and misses the first 4 games due to suspension

Moss traded for a 3rd rounder and misses first 4 games cause he was with the pats

While Moss Blows him away in touchdowns their receptions and yards were very close last year

Moss, 83 rec 1264 yds
Holmes, 79 Rec 1248 yds

Yup, and I believe Lynch was just traded for a 4th rounder.  This is pretty fair value for Moss.  The only question is whether this is the Pats punting the season or not.

Yeah, if that's the market value, you just decide not to sell, in my opinion.  Apparently, though, New England is treating this like one of the Red Sox' "bridge years".

[Rondo2287]

So when i looked into it

Holmes was traded to the Jets for a 5th rounder.  and misses the first 4 games due to suspension

Moss traded for a 3rd rounder and misses first 4 games cause he was with the pats

While Moss Blows him away in touchdowns their receptions and yards were very close last year

Moss, 83 rec 1264 yds
Holmes, 79 Rec 1248 yds

Yup, and I believe Lynch was just traded for a 4th rounder.  This is pretty fair value for Moss.  The only question is whether this is the Pats punting the season or not.

Yeah, if that's the market value, you just decide not to sell, in my opinion.  Apparently, though, New England is treating this like one of the Red Sox' "bridge years".

So in other words Roy, you don't think the Offense is still good enough to get it done?  I kinda think while it will be a hit, our offense wont be a problem, this offense is still good enough to win a superbowl. 

The question was before and remains to be the defense.

[Roy H.]

So when i looked into it

Holmes was traded to the Jets for a 5th rounder.  and misses the first 4 games due to suspension

Moss traded for a 3rd rounder and misses first 4 games cause he was with the pats

While Moss Blows him away in touchdowns their receptions and yards were very close last year

Moss, 83 rec 1264 yds
Holmes, 79 Rec 1248 yds

Yup, and I believe Lynch was just traded for a 4th rounder.  This is pretty fair value for Moss.  The only question is whether this is the Pats punting the season or not.

Yeah, if that's the market value, you just decide not to sell, in my opinion.  Apparently, though, New England is treating this like one of the Red Sox' "bridge years".

So in other words Roy, you don't think the Offense is still good enough to get it done?  I kinda think while it will be a hit, our offense wont be a problem, this offense is still good enough to win a superbowl. 

The question was before and remains to be the defense.

Nope, I don't think the offense is good enough.  I share crownsy's feelings:  the Pats are going to lose Moss' production, but more importantly they're going to lose his impact on opposing defenses.  It will be tougher for the Pats to stretch the field, it will be harder on Welker, there will be less room for the RBs and short passes, etc.

The defense is the biggest issue on the team, and it remains as the biggest issue.  There are two ways you can address that, though:  improve the defense, or outscore the other team on offense.  The Pats have handicapped themselves in terms of the second of these two options.

There are no great teams in the NFL this year.  I think the Pats were, prior to this trade, as much of a contender as anybody.  Now, I don't think they are.  A third round pick isn't worth that kind of downgrade.

I see this in much the same way as I saw the Ray Allen trade scenarios.  A lot of people said "trade Ray, we're not contenders anyway, and we need to get something for him".  My position was that Ray should only be traded if it upgraded the team in both the short and long term.  Why?  Because when you're a contender, you should do everything in your power to win now.

[Chris]

Apparently Bruschi is saying that Moss had become a problem in the lockerroom, and said that if he wasn't traded, he may have been cut later in the year.  Interesting.

[Chris]

So when i looked into it

Holmes was traded to the Jets for a 5th rounder.  and misses the first 4 games due to suspension

Moss traded for a 3rd rounder and misses first 4 games cause he was with the pats

While Moss Blows him away in touchdowns their receptions and yards were very close last year

Moss, 83 rec 1264 yds
Holmes, 79 Rec 1248 yds

Yup, and I believe Lynch was just traded for a 4th rounder.  This is pretty fair value for Moss.  The only question is whether this is the Pats punting the season or not.

Yeah, if that's the market value, you just decide not to sell, in my opinion.  Apparently, though, New England is treating this like one of the Red Sox' "bridge years".

So in other words Roy, you don't think the Offense is still good enough to get it done?  I kinda think while it will be a hit, our offense wont be a problem, this offense is still good enough to win a superbowl. 

The question was before and remains to be the defense.

I don't think it was good enough before to overcome the defense.  The loss of Moss is not going to lose this team a superbowl, the fact that they can't stop anyone is.