Zero2Cool
14 years ago
http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Back-to-the-future.html 

The trade of Randy Moss from the Patriots to the Vikings for a third-round pick in the 2011 Draft, without a contract extension for Moss, proves a few things, all within the theme of: the more things change, the more they stay the same.

You can go home again
I remember a frigid Saturday in February 2005 when Vikings management called me at home urgently looking for Bus Cooks cell phone number. They were in active talks to trade Randy Moss and wanted to run it by Cook, an advisor to Moss and Mosss agent Tim DiPiero. Knowing I dealt with Cook with Brett Favre, they assumed I would have his mobile number, which I gave them.

The Vikings wanted no more of Moss at that time. They discussed his petulance and immaturity and were intent on moving him. Moreover, they had an offer from the Raiders the 7th overall pick in the upcoming Draft and linebacker Napoleon Harris that they thought was great value for Moss with all his warts. Moss had overstayed his welcome in the Twin Cities and was shipped to Al Davis and the Raiders that same weekend.

That was then, this is now. With a crying need at the position Sidney Rice on the shelf with a serious injury and Percy Harvin unavailable at any time due to migraine headaches and the window for top-level success closing on this group, Moss is now welcomed back to the Minnesota, with the powerful quarterback leading the charge. Speaking of which

The Favre factor
As I recounted, Brett Favre has long envisioned playing with Randy Moss and advocated for Moss with us at the Packers on different occasions. Donald Driver and Greg Jennings were outstanding receivers but to Brett, Randy was the white whale.

The Packers tried with varying degrees of effort to obtain Moss in both 2007 and 2008. In 2007 the one I was involved with -- the stumbling block was our demand for more than a one-year deal, a length that the Patriots tolerated. In 2008, the Packers kicked the tires on Moss again, but lagged behind the Patriots, Eagles and Cowboys in their financial and emotional recruitment of Moss. And when Moss re-signed with the Patriots for a three-year deal worth $27 million with $14 million guaranteed on March 3, 2008, Favre retired from the Packers the next day.

Soon after that time, the welcome mat was rolled out in Minneapolis for Favre, especially starting June 21, 2008 when Mike McCarthy told Brett those three fateful words that started the divorce proceedings: Weve moved on.

After cooling his heels with the Jets in 2008, Brett was finally able to join the team he wanted to be with since the Packer divorce, the Vikings.

From Viking ownership to management to coaching staff to players, Brett receives the warm embrace of affection that he expected from the Packers, for which he was the face of the franchise for 16 years. When the Packer relationship ended in divorce, the Viking courtship began and remains in full bloom. The Packers, meanwhile, are still upset that tampering allegations brought to the league about the Vikings recruitment of Favre while still a Packer were not taken as seriously as they would have liked.

As we have seen, the Vikings treat Favre differently from their other players and make no apologies for doing so. They hold the door open to Favre despite his spending the offseason at home, they send teammates to fetch him, they add money to his contract with no strings attached and, though they will deny it, it appears they welcomed his input in adding this special talent to the roster. As someone close to Brett told me, with his birthday on Sunday, this was the present he wanted.

Patriot games
In addition to their visions of playing together in Minnesota, Moss is probably commiserating with Favre on the coldhearted treatment he received from his now-former team. Just as Favre felt neither bedside manner nor personal touch from the Packers front office, Moss is experiencing the same in New England.

The Patriots do what they do with player negotiations. As for public comment, they simply do not engage, letting the player or agents words fall quietly to the ground with no response nor escalation. Their silent indifference is more frustrating to players and agents than, for example, general manager AJ Smiths defiance out in San Diego.

Logan Mankins is ignored. Randy Moss is tolerated with no talk of extension. As in Minnesota in 2005, Moss appears to have worn out his welcome and is cold product. It would be the Patriot way to move on and acquire compensation before he left as a free agent next year.

No new contract
Moss wants to continue to be paid as he was in his now-expiring deal, a $9 million average per year that compares favorably to recent top-of-market wide receiver deals for Brandon Marshall and Miles Austin (who is receiving $17 million in 2010).

There have been no discussions between the Vikings and Moss about an extension past the 13 games remaining on his contract. Certainly, the plans of a certain quarterback that professed to be in the last year of his career will factor into extension plans.

Further, there is the issue of the locker room in Minnesota. Were Moss, an incoming player, to receive an extension, the line at the door that has been waiting patiently for their turn at the trough Ray Edwards, Ben Leber, Chad Greenway and even Adrian Peterson would go into revolt. Special treatment for Favre is one thing; the same for Moss would be fractious for that team.

For now, though, Moss is short-term fix for a team built to win now. The rest is pardon the pun a secondary concern.


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Greg C.
14 years ago
I love these Andrew Brandt articles. Thanks for posting this one.
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Fan Shout
Zero2Cool (1h) : Tomorrow high 32° and low 19°
beast (7h) : Thanks Mucky!
Mucky Tundra (10h) : beast, forecast is looking like 27-28 degrees at kickoff, slight chance of snow flurries
Zero2Cool (13h) : Oh? It wasn't on the injury report. That sucks, but it's what is best.
packerfanoutwest (14h) : Doubs is out due to concussion
beast (16h) : What does the weather look like?
Martha Careful (20h) : You can wear long-johns mittens and a hat. We want Hill and their other skill guys FROZEN
Zero2Cool (26-Nov) : I'm not sure I hope for that. I'll be at the game.
Martha Careful (25-Nov) : I hope it is colder than a well-diggers ass on Thanksgiving night.
Zero2Cool (25-Nov) : doubt he wants to face the speedsters
beast (25-Nov) : Dolphins offense can be explosive... I wonder if we'll have Alexander back
Zero2Cool (25-Nov) : No Doubs could be issue Thursday
Mucky Tundra (25-Nov) : Bears. Santos. Blocked FG
Zero2Cool (24-Nov) : Bears. Vikings. OT
Mucky Tundra (24-Nov) : Thems the breaks I guess
Mucky Tundra (24-Nov) : Two players out and Williams had an injury designation this week but Oladapo is a healthy scratch
Zero2Cool (24-Nov) : Packers inactives vs 49ers: • CB Jaire Alexander • S Kitan Oladapo • LB Edgerrin Cooper • OL Jacob Monk
TheKanataThrilla (24-Nov) : Aaron Jones with a costly red zone fumble
Zero2Cool (24-Nov) : When we trade Malik for a 1st rounder, we'll need a new QB2.
packerfanoutwest (23-Nov) : Report: Aaron Rodgers wants to play in 2025, but not for the Jets
beast (23-Nov) : That's what I told the Police officer about my speed when he pulled me over
packerfanoutwest (23-Nov) : NFL told Bears that Packers’ blocked field goal was legal
packerfanoutwest (22-Nov) : 49ers are underdogs at Packers, ending streak of 36 straight games as favorites
Zero2Cool (22-Nov) : 49ers might be down their QB, DL, TE and LT?
packerfanoutwest (22-Nov) : Jaire Alexander says he has a torn PCL
Zero2Cool (20-Nov) : Even with the context it's ... what?
Mucky Tundra (20-Nov) : Matt LaFleur without context: “I don’t wanna pat you on the butt and you poop in my hand.”
beast (20-Nov) : We brought in a former Packers OL coach to help evaluate OL as a scout
beast (20-Nov) : Jets have been pretty good at picking DL
Zero2Cool (20-Nov) : He landed good players thanks to high draft slot. He isn't good.
Zero2Cool (20-Nov) : He can shove his knowledge up his ass. He knows nothing.
beast (20-Nov) : More knowledge, just like bring in the Jets head coach
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : What? Why? Huh?
beast (19-Nov) : I wonder if the Packers might to try to bring Douglas in through Milt Hendrickson/Ravens connections
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : The Jets fired Joe Douglas, per sources
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : Jets are a mess......
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Pretty sure Jets fired their scouting staff and just pluck former Packers.
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Jets sign Anders Carlson to their 53.
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : When you cycle the weeks, the total over remains for season. But you get your W/L for that selected week. Confusing.
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : the total and percentage are the same as the previous weeks
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : the total and percentage are the same as the previous weeks
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : the totals are accurate..nrvrtmind
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : I don't follow what you are saying. The totals are not the same as last week.
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : ok so then wht are the totals the same as last week?
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : NFL Pick'em is auto updated when NFL Scores tab is clicked
Martha Careful (19-Nov) : The offense was OK. Let's not forget the Bear defense is very very good.
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : Who updates the leaderboard on NFLPickem?
beast (19-Nov) : Has the Packers offense been worse since the former Jets coach joined the Packers?
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Offense gets his ass in gear, this could be good.
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Backup QB helped with three wins. Special Teams contributed to three wins.
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