Will Randy Moss Go for the Money?

With Randy Moss entering free agency, one has to wonder whether he will opt for the money or the wins.

Randy Moss had a season to remember with the New England Patriots. At the ripe of age of 30, Moss put forth was the highest scoring season by a wide receiver in the history of NFL football. His 23touchdowns were an amazing accomplishment, and they proved that despite his failed stint with the Oakland Raiders, he was still the best wide receiver in all of football.

But more important than those 23 touchdowns were the 16 wins that the New England Patriots and Moss acquired during the regular season. Then of course, there was the 2-1 record in the playoffs to add to that. While the Superbowl loss was probably emotionally damaging and not what Moss or any of the Patriots were expecting after going 18-0, it was still a successful season in the grand scheme of things. Not to mention, it was a season that gives the Patriots all the belief in the world that they can win the Superbowl in 2009.

However, losing the Superbowl to the New York Giants might have been the worst thing that could have happened to Randy Moss as he prepares to enter free agency this off-season. Obviously, no one ever wants to lose the biggest game of their lives, but there is more to it than that. Because had Moss won the Superbowl, he could have ended the season probably saying that he accomplished everything that he had ever wanted to accomplish in his NFL career. He would have broken Jerry Rice's touchdown record, been regarded as the best wide receiver of the past decade, and he would have received a ring on his finger that would have culminated it all. He then could have entered free agency as the best player on the market without the possibility of any team being able to say, "We can do something for you that no one has ever done for you before."

But because Moss lost the Superbowl, he has to make a tough decision. Clearly, he wants a Superbowl ring. You could see it in his face when during Superbowl week, and you could tell when he spoke to the media after the game. Yet while it would seem that a 30-year old who wants to win might get desperate to win a Superbowl, Moss has never been bashful about the fact that he is very much about the money. Afterall, he is the guy who was famously quoted as saying, "Straight cash, homey."

And you know the offers will be out there. How often does the #1 wide receiver in the game go on the free agent market? The last guy of Moss's caliber to enter the market was Terrell Owens in 2004, but even that ended up being a trade of some sort that really only left two teams with any chance to get him. But Moss is open to negotiate with anyone. And what team is not going to want him? The Titans could use him. The Eagles could use him. The Redskins could use him. Thus, Moss will get many competing offers.

Unfortunately for him, none of those competing offers will come from the team that is most likely to be successful next season, and that is the Patriots. They rarely pay anybody top dollar on the free agent market. Just last off-season they paid Adalius Thomas the market rate for his services at linebacker, but that was surprising and unlikely to happen again. The Patriots have let great contributors to their success go, like Lawyer Milloy, Ty Law, Willie McGinest, and Deion Branch. They didn't want to pay them what the market deemed they were worth, so the Patriots moved on.

So with Moss unlikely to get the big contract from the Patriots, do you think he will opt to play for them and contend for a Superbowl next season? Or do you think that Moss will opt for the money, and play for a team with a lot of cap room that is on the verge of winning, but is not quite there?

Only time will tell, but your comments are welcomed. Personally, I would hope that the Patriots would open up their pocketbooks to keep the NFL's all-time leading offense intact. But history shows that they have no problem breaking up a good thing, and altering their strategy, and if that is the case this year, I really can't foresee Moss passing up an opportunity for what could be the highest wide receiver salary in the history of the NFL.