Moss Trade Looks Done

[steelyeri]

I hear that Champ Bailey is thrilled with this trade. Now he has an excuse not to cover Jerry Porter.

[Carolina Culpepper]

Here you go Carolina Culpepper:

Slowik Quote and Such

A couple of other quotes I read:

Ron Wolf, former Packer GM - "I should have taken that guy"

Dick Vermiel, upon hearing Moss was coming to the division - "That's just great"

Thanks CC, nice find and a great read. I saw the Ron Wolf quote earlier in the day. He actually said quite a bit about Moss. I can't help but believe that the only place where the joy over this whole thing is greater than in Oakland is probably Green Bay! This just bums me out ......

[OwenTheBlonde]

Here you go Carolina Culpepper:

Slowik Quote and Such

A couple of other quotes I read:

Ron Wolf, former Packer GM - "I should have taken that guy"

Dick Vermiel, upon hearing Moss was coming to the division - "That's just great"

Thanks CC, nice find and a great read. I saw the Ron Wolf quote earlier in the day. He actually said quite a bit about Moss. I can't help but believe that the only place where the joy over this whole thing is greater than in Oakland is probably Green Bay! This just bums me out ......

Seriously, this will be the most scrutinized #7 pick in NFL draft history. Pressure? Nah...

[The Lung]

Here is Fanball's take on it, as it pertains to keeper leagues:

Moss Trade: Keeper League Analysis

by Paul Charchian - Publisher, Fanball.com
Thursday, February 24, 2005

At some point, the Randy Moss trade will affect every 2005 fantasy football league; keeper leaguers need to sort out this trade pronto. There's a lot of star power affected by this trade, as Minnesota's high-powered offense is forced to adjust, and Oakland suddenly becomes intriguing. So, with an eye on keeper leagues, here's my assessment of how the trade affects notable players' keeper value.


Helped
Kerry Collins: Despite his age, Collins' keeper value jumps with the Moss acquisition. Both Moss and Porter are under long-term contracts. Collins' arm is strong enough to allow for the long pass, Moss' forte, and he's experienced enough to find Porter in single-coverage. Collins will appear as a top-10 quarterback in most rankings this preseason.
Nate Burleson: Burleson is the biggest X-factor of the group, especially since we don't know if Minnesota will actively attempt to find a replacement for Moss. He looked very good last year, and actually notched nine touchdowns while topping the 1,000 yard mark. Should he be required to be the team's top receiver, it is unclear if he'll be able to make the jump. If he can step up, his upside is huge. How huge? Surrounded by Minnesota's offensive talent, how about 15 scores per year huge? But plenty of capable number two receivers have tried and failed to succeed as a go-to guy (Johnnie Morton, James Thrash, Justin McCariens, and Peerless Price immediately come to mind). My feeling is that he's got a long career ahead of him.


All Vikings' running backs: Moss takes a lot of receptions with him to Oakland, so more plays will shift to the team's runners, both via the ground and air. Plus, Moss had been the team's first choice at the stripe. Now, the job will likely move to the team's runners.


No Change
Jerry Porter: It's a mixed bag for Porter. On one hand, he'll never be the team's go-to receiver, which limits his upside to around 10-12 touchdowns max per season. However, playing opposite Randy Moss opens the possibilities of routine single-coverage, meaning he should post at least 6-8 touchdowns every year.

Hurt
Randy Moss: A fresh start provides plenty of positives for Moss, but they get outweighed by the negatives. Moss will certainly have a chip on his shoulder, and he'll probably be a good soldier—for a while anyway. Kerry Collins has a strong arm, but make no mistake, he's no Culpepper. Further muddying the waters is Jerry Porter who will siphon off receptions and scores for years. Also of concern to keeper leaguers is Collins' age. 2005 will be his 11th year of service, so he may not be effective for much longer, and injury is a growing concern.
Daunte Culpepper: Obviously, losing Moss hurts Culpepper's fantasy value, but not as much as people might think at first blush. Nate Burleson is emerging as a capable player, and the Vikings are loaded with other receiving options, including all of their tight ends and running backs. Plus, Minnesota will likely/hopefully signing a notable free agent receiver, or use their newly-acquired seventh-overall draft pick on one. If the Vikings' (foolishly) choose not to improve their receivers, then his value drops much farther.

Doug Gabriel: Gabriel demonstrated flashes of competence, and the youngster was expected to battle for a starting job. Now, he's stuck behind Moss and Porter, and unlikely get enough playing time to make an impact.

Ronald Curry: See Gabriel.

[Ydub]

Here's a direct quote from Chris Mortensen latest chat regarding the liklihood of the Vikes signing a FA WR. More than anyone else in football, Mort usually seems to have the inside dope on player movement:


Matt from Baltimore: Hey Mort! With the Ravens losing out on Randy Moss, can you see them trading up in this years draft to aquire a Mike Williams or a Braylon Edwards or do they focus on free agency? Thanks Mort!! Go Ravens!!

Chris Mortensen: I see the Ravens going for a Lavarnues Coles in trade or a Muhsin Muhammad or Plaxico Burress. They will upgrade in a big way at that spot.

It ain't much, but it's a good indication that drafting a WR in 1st round will be unlikely.

[The Lung]

Looks like Coles is going back to the Jets, and Muhammed is going to the Bears, so Plax or Mason would be more likely at this point.

[bungle613]

Hello all, thought I would chime in. Haven't been back here since the end of the season and wanted to see what you thought about this deal. Figured that my poor Vikes would get bashed for this deal. I for one love it. Now, if we could only deal Culpepper maybe we could contend.

Are you nuts? Culpepper is easily or best player, and is one of the most talented QB's in the league. He had one of the best seasons in NFL history, and would have been a lock for MVP if not for Peyton Manning. He had a 70% completion percentage! That is unheard of! Why in the world would we want to get rid of Culpepper? There is no way we could get a better QB.

And if you think Culpepper has an attitude problem like Moss, you couldn't be farther than the truth. Culpepper is one of the best people in the league, IMHO. Have you seen his Beyond the Glory special? This guy is a great person. He bought his birth mother a house, despite the fact that she didn't raise him. He isn't one of those locker room problems. He is a great player, and a LEADER. That is what we need.

I understand where you are coming from. I just see things a little differently. I am convinced that Culp will never win a Superbowl regardless of what team he is on. That is the only thing as a Vikings fan I am interested in. The biggest football issue I have with Culp is that in 5 years he has fumbled the ball 75 times. That is staggering. He has the smallest hands out of any starting QB in the NFL. He is coughing up the ball in basically every single game. Again, I will take Brady straight up right now for our almost MVP QB.