MOSS-GATHERING (OR ROLLING STONED?):

Pats procure incomparable weapon (John Tomase, 4/30/07, Boston Herald)

It’s fair to say that Tom Brady has never thrown to anyone even remotely approximating Moss, who’s big (6-foot-4), strong (210 pounds) and blazingly fast (4.29-second 40-yard dash, if you’re to believe his representatives).

He can sprint by defensive backs on one play, then leap over them on the next. He can stretch the field before the catch, and run with the ball after it. He’s a weapon on either 10-yard line.

Oh, and he’s dying to win a Super Bowl, as he proved yesterday by leaving $21 million on the table to sign a one-year, $3 million deal with the Pats that includes $2 million in incentives.

“I’ve made a lot of money in my career and I still have money in the bank,” Moss said. “So by me coming to an organization like the Patriots, why would money be a factor?” [...]

Imagine being an NFL defensive coordinator and game-planning for the Pats. Moss and Donte’ Stallworth represent vertical threats on every play. Wes Welker works the slot as well as anyone. Tight end Ben Watson, freed from the pressure of serving as the top target, can exploit mismatches underneath. That still leaves Kevin Faulk out of the backfield, Laurence Maroney in the running game or tight end David Thomas sitting in a zone.

It’s no stretch to say the Patriots have transformed the league’s worst receiving corps into its best. Last year’s starters, Reche Caldwell and Jabar Gaffney, might not even make the team. Same goes for old favorite Troy Brown.

Straight out of Moneyball, Belichick picks up the undevalued troubled guy (likewise with their first round pick) when the rest of the League suddenly shies away.

MORE:

Patriots have dealt themselves into Super Bowl favorite's role with Moss (David Steele, April 30, 2007, Baltimore Sun)

Moss going to the Patriots -- baggage, Hall of Fame numbers and all -- eclipsed everything that had happened in the draft Saturday and everything that followed it yesterday. JaMarcus Russell, Brady Quinn, all the overblown, premature hype surrounding the most out-of-control non-event in sports, were quashed by the news of Moss joining forces with Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, fellow wide receiver newcomers Donte' Stallworth and Wes Welker and some guy named Adalius Thomas on the three-time champs.

Even the most hard-core, purple-clad here in town now have to look at everything that's happened with their team this offseason, and everything that will happen, through the Moss-New England filter. [...]

Remember last January: Brady had Reche Caldwell and Jabar Gaffney as his wide receivers, and he had them one minute away from a Super Bowl berth in the AFC title game at the RCA Dome.

He also gets A.D. on defense this season. The Ravens, you might have heard, lose A.D. on defense.

Yikes.

Of course, they lost to the Colts because they stopped running themselves and couldn't stop the run.

Posted by Orrin Judd at April 30, 2007 12:00 AM