New England Patriots Free Agency: Would Randy Moss Fit in with 2011 Patriots?

The New England Patriots lack a "deep threat" in the truest sense of the term, and if there's one thing Randy Moss does well, it's stretch a defense. Of course, he wasn't doing much of that last year, especially not after being traded to the Minnesota Vikings for a third-round draft pick after Week 4.

The Patriots have spent high draft picks on receivers in the past two drafts. They could be ready to start their youth movement on offense.

As the lockout spills over into the offseason, it's beginning to impact preparations for the 2011 season. As such, putting high stakes into the development of young talent is a dicey situation.

The Jets may have laid out the blueprint for stopping the Patriots offense in the playoffs, as they exposed a clear weakness of the offense.

Which begs the question: Would Randy Moss be a good fit with the 2011 Patriots?

Randy Moss has three years of experience in the Patriots offense. In that time, he built a good deal of rapport with Tom Brady.

The last 12 weeks of the season proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Patriots need Moss way less than Moss needs the Patriots.

During that stretch, Moss recorded just 19 receptions for 254 yards and two touchdowns. To put that in perspective, over the previous 190 games of Moss' career, a 12-game stretch yielded an average of 59 receptions for 922 yards and just under 10 touchdowns.

If his lack of production on the field wasn't proof positive of that fact, his actions off the field were.

Moss exemplified yet again that he's a disaster waiting to happen. From a lack of effort to a complete lack of respect, Moss alienated his teammates in much the same way he had done prior to joining the Patriots (when he magically became a saint).

The idea of a "blueprint" is faulty, because not every team has the personnel to execute it. Most defenses don't have quite the personnel that the Jets have. The Patriots may lack a deep threat, but with Moss' dip in production, who's even sure he's a deep threat anymore?

Another important aspect to consider is the changing direction of the Patriots offense. The Randy Moss trade was the catalyst for breakout performances from New England's tight ends.

From 2007 to 2009, the Patriots tight ends, as a unit, averaged 40 receptions for 438.6 yards and 5.6 touchdowns per season. In 2010, Aaron Hernandez, Rob Gronkowski and Alge Crumpler combined for 93 receptions for 1,161 yards and 18 touchdowns.

In terms of the passing attack, it appears the tight ends will be the focus going forward. That can certainly be justified when you look at the talent at the position. Hernandez and Gronkowski are widely considered two of the best young tight ends in the league.

If that weren't enough, the Patriots draft choices in the 2011 NFL draft just drive the point home. In selecting two big offensive linemen, another run-blocking tight end and two running backs, the Patriots signaled a shift toward a more balanced attack.

With the personnel they currently have on their roster, it's hard to imagine them going back to the strictly spread offense that set so many records back in 2007.

An offensive style that Randy Moss was central to. Coincidence?

With that in mind, it's safe to say that the Patriots traded Moss for a reason...rather, multiple reasons. Going back may be in the best interest of Moss, but it's probably not in the best interest of the Patriots.

Erik Frenz is the co-host of the PatsPropaganda & Frenz podcast. Follow Erik on Twitter @erikfrenz.