Randy Moss is a Patriot

Published Apr 30 2007, 01:28 PM by Ryan Stewart

"That is a disgusting act by Randy Moss. And it's unfortunate
that we have that on our air live." - Joe Buck

We imagine Reche Caldwell's deer-in-the-headlights eyes growing even wider when he heard the news: the Patriots have added one of the most talented wide receivers in the NFL today. This after already having brought in Donte Stallworth, Kelley Washington, and Wes Welker. All to replace a patchwork corps of guys like Caldwell and Jabar Gaffney who comprised what was the biggest weakness of a team that could have quite easily been Super Bowl-bound last January.

Make no mistake: despite Dan Shaughnessy's lamentations of the team abandoning the principles that made them the NFL's model franchise of the double-0s, this is a great move for the Patriots. On the field, it gives Tom Brady the deep threat he's never had, a guy who can still run a 4.29 40-yard-dash, a guy very few DBs in football can hang with. With Stallworth as a #2, this team is going to put a lot of points on the scoreboard, and they also still have a hugely talented defense - don't forget, they also brought in the best defensive player to have switched teams this offseason too in Adalius Thomas.

The concern regarding Moss's character is justifiable, to be sure. He's had his brushes with the law, he admitted to taking certain games off when he was in Minnesota, he took basically two years off in Oakland, he has acknowledged enjoying a little bit of the reefer, and he pantomimed mooning the crowd at Lambeau Field (as seen above.) We remember finding it hilarious at the time, but we were also watching from a removed vantage point: it wasn't like we had to answer for him as a guy we were rooting for or anything. The Patriots have made the "team-first" philosophy their calling card, will Moss be able to put his "me-first" leanings aside?

Call us crazy, but we think he will. Consider a few things. First, Moss took a pay cut to come to New England. He even said he would only take a pay cut to come to New England. This would suggest he's excited about the opportunity to play here. He's made it clear he enjoys winning; perhaps two years on the bottom rung of the NFL ladder in Oakland have served as a wakeup call. Also, the New England locker room is full of veteran leaders who are known to "police their own," guys like Mike Vrabel, Tedy Bruschi, and Rodney Harrison. Consider that in recent memory, the team has brought in two guys with character concerns of their own in Harrison and Corey Dillon. Harrison has become the team's de facto spokesperson and Dillon moved his family to Newton and became a model citizen before leaving after last season. And even if Moss reverts to his tantrum-throwing days, the Patriots only gave up a fourth-round pick to get him, and will only be paying him a base salary of $3 million dollars for one year. It's a solid gamble any way you look at it.