I have no problem giving him a roster spot and a small contract based on him agreeing to play a role, not be a star.
If you may recall I was anti-Moss before it was fashionable to be anti-Moss and immediately after the trade (and before the Vikings debacle) I was frequently accused of being a "hater." Because of my strong support of the trade and my Moss bashing.
Moss is an idiot. But if he gets slapped upside the head hard enough he behaves for a while until he gets comfortable.
He came into the league pissed off that several teams had passed on him. He proceeded to have an unbelievable season. He then got comfortable and gradually declined so bad that the Viking were forced to trade him away. He then got a nasty hit in the head when he went to Oakland.
After a stint in Oakland, he came to NE with a chance to prove he wasn't a bum only worth a fourth round draft pick. And he did prove that to the world. Then once getting a long term contract he got comfortable and started with an attitude problem that began when he first threw Cassel under the bus week 1, all but saying the season was over without Brady.
He got another nasty (even nastier than Oakland or being passed in the draft) slap last year.
I firmly believe that if the Pats take him back he will behave and accept his role, even if that is primarily as a decoy.
But I do not want him on the roster in 2012.
Sign him to a two year deal. Trade him on draft day of 2012 to the highest bidder even if that is only a 2013 7th round pick.
Jesus, I could NOT have put it more perfectly.
I've made a TON of Charma Money on Moss.
~ I wanted us to steal him from Oakland, despite the squeals of the legions of folks who know nothing of human behavior, because I knew ~ for precisely the reasons you cited ~ that he would be a strong team mate ~ for a while ~ AND rock the world, which he did.
~ Then I wanted to FRANCHISE TRADE him to the highest bidder ~ despite the rage and curses of millions who would've probably MURDERED Coach B if he'd done so ~ because in the wake of his epic 23 TD year ~ and his relative youth ~ I thought we might even be able to rook CONSECUTIVE 1st Rounders for him ~ Dan Snyder???
~ while saving tons of precious Cap Space that would've allowed us to keep Mankins, Wilfork, AND Seymour.
~ And of course I was HOWLING for us to dump him, last year, despite the wailing of the masses ~ folks who doubtlessly thought it was ALL OVER when Coach B
suspended Terry Glenn for the season. "Dear God, who will
stretch the field???"
~ And I'm with you 100% at THIS juncture, as well: Sign the donkey for 2 years, let him fight for a roster spot, and then when he has yet another resurgence, trade him for whatever you can get for him...or even keep him. His behavior might be good for two years at this juncture, especially if the 2nd one is a contract year.