Moss Delay Costly

By: Viking Update Staff

Date: 2/16/2001

A couple of weeks from now you'll read this elsewhere, but the Vikings are close to having a Corey Dillon-type situation on their hands with Randy Moss after the team announced that talks will be delayed on giving him a fat contract. Those of you who have either subscribed to VU or read the on-line reports know that Randy Moss is still upset about not being the No. 1 pick in the 1998 draft. He thought so then, he thinks so now.

So the Vikings' announcement yesterday that is putting his contract extension on hold is not being viewed by those close to Moss as a good thing. While Moss' contract got bumped $2.5 million for 2001 because of a clause that gave him the bonus for being selected to the Pro Bowl (he's been named each of his three seasons), the Vikings' decision to stop contract talks could well have disastrous effects.

VU has learned that Moss has every intention of honoring his contract, which officially expires after next season, but unless the Vikings come to the table before next season, negotiations will get contentious at best. Moss is in line to become the highest paid receiver in NFL history -- word VU is hearing is something on the order of six years, $55 million with $12 million up front -- and if the team doesn't start talking jing now, Moss will refuse to re-sign with the team.

Moss has often spoken from his heart in the moments following big games (or, more appropriately, big playoff losses) and knows that, unlike the NFL draft in 1998, teams will line up to offer him a monster contract if he becomes a free agent.

While the Vikings are currently cap strapped, getting Moss re-signed is Priority One and, if that doesn't happen soon, he's going to bail. Make book on it.

FRIDAY NOTES * John Randle remains in limbo, but VU is hearing the team will likely keep him on the payroll to save themselves more headaches in the short-term. If Randle is cut or traded before the league-mandated deadline for getting in compliance with the league's salary cap, he would cost the Vikings $5.5 million against the 2001 cap. If the Vikings keep him, he'll receive a $2 million roster bonus March 1 and, if cut after June 1, he'll cost the team $2.75 million in 2001 and 2002 against the cap. * The Vikings allocated eight players to NFL Europe, as the NFL works as hard as it can to keep Vince McMahon and his XFL from raping the NFL landscape. The eight players are LB Antonio Wilson, WRs Jeremy Earp and Lonny Mitchell, OT Jay Humphrey, DL Antwone Young, Winfield Garnett and Tim Engelhardt, TE Giles Cole, RB Marvin Welch and CB Keith Williams. * Former Vikings QB Warren Moon and his wife are divorcing after 19 years of marriage. Moon was the starter for the Vikings when his wife charged him with domestic violence, as his son called 911 when his parents got in a physical altercation in 1995. Moon's wife refused to testify against her husband and the case failed to materialize, but, from what VU was told last year, the altercation led to the desintegration of the relationship. * Former Vikings coach Marc Trestman has been named senior assitant to th

-- Mark (Karch 222@aol.com), February 16, 2001