Vikings officially release Randy Moss – so what now?

EDEN PRAIRIE, MN - OCTOBER 7: Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Randy Moss answers questions from the media during a press conference at Winter Park on October 7, 2010 in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)

This Randy Moss situation is an absolute mess.

The only thing that mattered to this guy four weeks ago was a new contract and then after he realized he wasn’t going to win, he had no problem trashing the Vikings (a team that gave up a third round pick to acquire him) in an attempt to get the Patriots to welcome him back with open arms. How pathetic.

Moss doesn’t miss the Patriots — he misses the opportunity to play for a winner. He realized very quickly that the Vikings aren’t going to win, so he did the only thing he does well off the field: resort to being a malcontent and a distraction.

Make no mistake, Moss has a ton of talent, even at his age. He’s a game changer when he has his head on straight and he even commands double-teams when he’s really trying.

But when is that? He wanted out of Oakland so bad that he didn’t say a word for the first couple of seasons in New England. He was a choirboy because all he wanted to do was be a part of a winner. But when he got that, it wasn’t enough and the second his contract only had one year remaining on it he reverted back to the old Moss.

So what does he want now? Does he want to be with a winner or does he want to get paid? Because I can tell you with all certainty that he’s not going to get paid unless he helps his team win. It’s always a double-edged sword with Moss and that’s the dilemma interested teams now face.

It would be hilarious if Moss wound up back in New England. It would show how smart and savvy Bill Belichick and the Patriots are, while proving how far the Vikings organization is from winning a Super Bowl under Brad Childress (who clearly has no idea what he’s doing when it comes to managing his players).

But I don’t think that’ll happen. First of all, the Patriots are near the back end of the waiver process, so Moss would have to get through the likes of the Cowboys, Panthers, 49ers, Broncos, Seahawks and Dolphins before New England had its shot at him. Plus, Belichick and the Pats have seemingly moved on and are doing just fine without Moss’ baggage.

If not the Patriots, then who? I think you have to ask the question of which team has the most to gain. The Cowboys are a complete mess and aren’t one Randy Moss away from fixing their issues. You can throw the Panthers and 49ers into that same category and probably the Broncos too, although Moss did play for Josh McDaniels two years ago in New England.

The Seahawks and Dolphins? Now they’re a different story. Seattle is currently leading the NFC West but Pete Carroll and Co. have to know that their team doesn’t have enough firepower to match up with the likes of the Giants, Packers, Falcons and Eagles in the NFC. So taking on a personality like Moss might be worth it for them.

The same can be said for the Dolphins, who currently trail the Patriots by two games in the AFC East standings and could use as much offensive firepower as they can get. If Moss and Brandon Marshall could coexist in one huddle, then it’s a risk that’s worth taking for Miami.

But again, it all comes down to what position a team is currently in. We know that Moss will be a troublemaker unless he gets what he wants, which is either a chance to win or money (or both). He’s going to get paid $6.4 million no matter where he goes, but only half the teams can offer him a chance to win and you can cut that number down even more considering organizations like the Colts, Falcons, Saints and Packers wouldn’t touch this guy with a 10-inch pole. (After writing that, I fully expect him and Peyton Manning to be together shortly.)

So where will he wind up? My guess is Seattle, but who’s to say when it comes to the topic of Randy Moss.

It’s a mess.

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