Patriots: revisiting the Randy Moss trade with Raiders that paved way for best offense ever

The Patriots’ first true trade heist was acquiring Randy Moss from the Raiders.

Ah, yes, back in the day when the NFL Draft was only two days and Lane Kiffin was head coach of the Oakland Raiders. Feels like it was yesterday.

But it was actually over 14 years ago when the New England Patriots traded a fourth-round pick to the Raiders for Randy Moss, which then paved the way for the greatest offensive campaign of all time, an MVP season for Tom Brady (who set a then-NFL mark with 50 touchdown passes), and a record run for Moss.

Moss, who was wasting away in Oakland after coming over in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings, was fading into obscurity in the black hole, racking up just under 1,600 yards and 11 touchdowns across 29 games with the Raiders.

The legendary wideout was outspoken in regard to the team’s poor performance, which prompted the deal, allowing the Pats to trade essentially nothing for one of the best offensive players in history.

Though that 2007 campaign would end with a Super Bowl loss to the New York Giants and the worst-feeling 18-1 season ever assembled, Moss helped propel the Patriots to historic levels, logging 98 receptions for 1,493 yards and an NFL record 23 touchdowns, which surpassed Jerry Rice’s 22.

The Patriots became the first team to go 16-0 in the regular season (the ’72 Dolphins went 12-0 before winning the Super Bowl to finish 14-0) and their offense set records for points scored (589), total touchdowns (75) and point differential (+315).

As for the Raiders? With the 110th overall draft choice they received from New England, they selected cornerback John Bowie out of Cincinnati. He played five total games with Oakland before never logging another NFL snap again.

Moss would spend three seasons with the Patriots but was unable to capture a Super Bowl. After losing to the Giants, they missed the playoffs the very next season (after Brady tore his ACL, though the team did go 11-5), and lost in the wild card round in 2009.

After that, Moss was traded back to the Vikings for a third-round pick (!!!) and Minnesota cut ties with him less than a month later. Yes, Belichick got BETTER value in return for Moss than he paid despite three years passing and the wideout playing just four games for the Vikes.

Highway. Robbery.