NFL | Raiders trade Moss to Pats for draft pick
The Oakland Raiders cut ties with Randy Moss after two unproductive seasons, sending the former Pro Bowl receiver to the New England Patriots yesterday for a fourth-round draft pick.
The Oakland Raiders cut ties with Randy Moss after two unproductive seasons, sending the former Pro Bowl receiver to the New England Patriots yesterday for a fourth-round draft pick.
Moss was disgruntled for most of his two seasons in Oakland, and said frequently last season that he thought he'd be better off with another team. The 30-year-old wanted to be dealt either to New England or Green Bay and got his wish.
Moss said he was thrilled to be with the Patriots, who won three of the last six Super Bowls, and renegotiated a contract that had two years left.
"I'm still overwhelmed and, at the same time, kind of star-struck that I'm part of this New England Patriots organization," he said.
Raiders coach Lane Kiffin wanted to deal Moss before next weekend's mandatory minicamp. Moss had not participated in any of the team's off-season workouts.
Oakland gave up the seventh overall pick in 2005, linebacker Napoleon Harris, and a seventh-round pick to Minnesota for Moss in 2005.
Heisman winner picked. Troy Smith watched the names of 173 draft choices flash on the television screen before Baltimore finally ended the Heisman Trophy winner's perplexing wait yesterday by selecting him with the final pick in the fifth round.
Eight quarterbacks were taken before Smith, who went 25-3 as Ohio State's starter. He led the Buckeyes to the national championship game in January.
49ers-Seahawks trade. San Francisco acquired veteran receiver Darrell Jackson from the Seattle Seahawks for a fourth-round draft choice.
Jackson scored 47 touchdowns in seven seasons with the Seahawks.
San Francisco gave up the 124th overall pick, and the Seahawks used it on Georgia Tech offensive lineman Mansfield Wrotto.
A second chance. Denver traded into the fourth round to take Marcus Thomas, a Florida defensive tackle who came into the NFL draft with a history of off-the-field problems.
"I really don't deserve anything," Thomas said. "Denver gave me the chance."
Thomas was suspended from the national champion Gators last season by coach Urban Meyer after failing two marijuana tests.
The Broncos gave Minnesota their final picks in the 2007 draft - a sixth rounder (No. 176 overall) and a seventh rounder (No. 233) - and a third-round pick in 2008.
Ginn's sore foot. Top draft pick Ted Ginn says he doesn't know whether he'll be healthy for the start of Miami's training camp.
Ginn sprained his left foot in the BCS national championship game Jan. 8 after returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown.
Fans jeered new coach Cam Cameron at the team's draft party for bypassing Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn in the first round and picking Ginn instead.
Gator mania. Florida had more players drafted than any school: nine. Ohio State was second with eight.
Mr. Irrelevant. The final pick of the longest draft ever - 18 hours, 5 minutes - was Alabama defensive back Ramzee Robinson by Detroit.
Bucs sign tight end. Tampa Bay signed former Seattle tight end Jerramy Stevens, an unrestricted free agent. He was arrested last month in Scottsdale, Ariz., for investigation of driving under the influence and charged with possession of marijuana.
Falcons linebacker hurt. Atlanta linebacker Demorrio Williams had surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle that could keep him sidelined as long as five months. He got hurt lifting weights last week.
Vick, Goodell chat. Michael Vick confirmed in an ESPN interview that he met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell at the draft to discuss problems that have plagued the Atlanta Falcons quarterback this off-season.
Vick was in New York to make an appearance on behalf of his alma mater, Virginia Tech, after the campus shootings that killed 33 people two weeks ago.
In the last week, Vick's name surfaced when police in Virginia arrested his cousin on drug charges on property the quarterback owns. Police said they found neglected animals and evidence of dogfighting there.
Vick also skipped a congressional breakfast he had been invited to earlier in the week to discuss federal funding for urban football facilities.