Now if you are still with me lets begin.
Over these last couple of days something very strange has happened in the NFL, a future HOF receiver was released less then a month after being acquired by the Vikings. Randy Moss was traded to the Vikings from the patriots for a third round draft pick in the 2011 NFL draft on October 6th, 2010. He was however placed on waivers monday by the Vikings. There are so many things wrong with this move by Brad Childress (Vikings Head Coach). It is important to note that Childress has complete control over the 53 man roster in Minnesota as part of his contract. Thus, Childress does not have to consult the GM, Front Office or Owner about anything to do with players including roster moves. This is too much power for a coach who has yet to produce a Super Bowl for the organization.
Now Randy Moss, in my opinion, is one of if not thee best jump ball receiver in NFL history. He has lost some of his speed but he can still compete against the best DB's in league, which he has done. The Vikings lost their jump ball receiver (Sidney Rice) to injury and their passing game struggled because of it. Moss was having problems with the Patriots and a deal was struck between the Vikings and the Pats, Moss for third rounder.
Draft picks in the NFL are very valuable (especially in the first three rounds). A third rounder can produce a solid rookie starter for the team. Some third rounders go on to be Hall of Famers, Joe Montana for example. This move by Childress seems, to me, to be the stupidest NFL managerial move i have ever seen. Moss does not only help a team by catching the ball but he can draw coverage so that other receivers are left in one-on-ones or wide open. I don't think the Vikings know how much Moss has helped their receiver core. Any Super Bowl hopes for the Vikings are now over and, to add insult to injury, they will have to pay Moss' salary for the rest of the season no matter where he is playing.
Whats going to happen now though. The Vikings were very disappointing as a team before Moss got there and they will continue to be. They have been unable to retain that 'magic' from a year ago that saw them fall just short of a Super Bowl appearance. The results of this season and Moss' eminent departure have left Viking's fans calling for Childress' head, and it wouldn't be out of the question to think that they will get what they want. If this season has taught us anything, from The Browns beating the Super Bowl champs to Moss' release, it is that anything can happen in the NFL. For Moss the future is also uncertain. The five worst teams (Buffalo, Dallas, Carolina, San Fran, and Denver) will have the first crack at him. If none of those team go for him then the rest of the league will have it's chance. None of those five teams would be a good fit for Moss. They all have no chance at a Super Bowl and that is what Moss wants.
There are three teams, in particular, i think will be the best fit for Moss. First, the Dolphins. Miami has a strong armed QB in Henne which can work nicely with Moss' ability to get down the field and catch the jump ball. Also having Moss opposite Brandon Marshall in the receiver core will give defences a lot of trouble in their coverage schemes. It will also give Miami a great boost in their push for a playoff spot. Another team would be Moss' old team, the Patriots. If the Pats are convinced that Moss will not be a distraction in the locker room then they will have gained a third round pick and a top player with his salary already paid for the price of nothing and Moss has proven to work well with Tom Brady in the Pats offence. Moss has also left hints that he wants to go back to his old team.
The other team i am thinking of may come as a surprise. I think Moss could really help the St. Louis Rams. Remember they were the worst team a year ago but they have made a lot of strides as a team since then. They have a QB in Sam Bradford who is getting more comfortable every game he plays, they have a great running game led by Steven Jackson and their defence has been surprisingly good. The one place the Rams are lacking in is the receiver position. The Rams are currently 4-4 but they are in a very weak division and could easily push for top spot in the NFC West. This would give them an automatic playoff spot and, with Moss' help, they could pull some upsets off against some good teams in the playoffs.
But thats all just speculation on my part, Moss could go anywhere and, after this season, he becomes a unrestricted free agent. So he may be content to wait till then before pursuing a Super Bowl with a team of his choosing. Anyway, i think this move by Childress is incredibly foolish and it is really going to hurt the Vikings in more then one way and that maybe his time in Minnesota is over or it will be over at the end of the season. Who knows?
If you enjoyed this post, great. If not i don't really care, feel free not to tell me about it.
Thanks for reading and, incase i don't see ya, good afternoon, good evening and good night
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