Santana Moss (AP)

Despite the labor uncertainty, WEEI.com will present a list of 10 possible fits for the Patriots in free agency (under the old Collective Bargaining Agreement) this offseason. For a complete list of the free agents we’ve profiled so far as part of this feature, click here.

Santana Moss
Position: Wide receiver
Age: 31 (Turns 32 on June 1)
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 209 pounds

First, a disclaimer: We are not the first people to delve into the idea of Santana Moss as a Patriot — Evan Silva of Rotoworld and Pro Football Talk has an excellent piece here about possible landing spots for free-agent wide receivers, and includes Moss-to-the-Patriots. Silva writes that the veteran would be a good fit in New England for several reasons, including the fact that he’s versatile, a solid presence in the locker room and, as a veteran who has yet to win a title, would conceivably take a pay cut to come to the Patriots for a shot at a ring.

He moved around an awful lot over the last year with the Redskins, spending some time in the slot and some split wide. He responded with one of the finest seasons of an already impressive career, coming away with 93 receptions for 1,115 yards and six touchdowns. No longer the burner he used to be — his average of 12 yards per catch last season was the lowest of his career — he can still stretch the field when needed. In all, the 10-year veteran has 593 career receptions for 8,558 yards and 52 touchdowns.

Moss is an unrestricted free agent who has already stated a preference to return to the Redskins, but as Silva noted, the Redskins drafted three wide receivers, which suggests he isn’t in their future plans. He’s durable (he’s missed just six games since the start of the 2002 season), dependable and reportedly, a quality presence in the locker room. If the Patriots feel that their younger receivers (specifically Brandon Tate, Taylor Price) are still a year or two away from making a real impact, they could do a lot worse than add this Miami product.

Why it might not work: If someone in Washington comes to their senses and offers Moss a reasonable deal, he’d probably be inclined to stick around, despite the fact that the Redskins’ draft was heavy on the receivers. And if the Patriots feel secure with their wide receivers — particularly youngsters like Tate and Price — they might be inclined to take a pass. But he’s likely to be one of the most sought-after free agent wide receivers in an intriguing market that includes names like Braylon Edwards, Terrell Owens, Donte Stallworth, Mike Sims-Walker, Mark Clayton and Randy Moss.