Randy Moss's decision to part ways with longtime agent Tim DiPiero probably doesn't mean much in the short-term when it comes to Moss's future in New England. Moss enters the final year of his contract, is scheduled to earn a base salary of $6.4 million, and it seemed unlikely that the deal would be extended before the end of the season.
With this in mind, and with this roster-by-contract-length blog entry as a guide, here is one opinion on the top 5 contractual priorities for the Patriots at this time (not including 2010 draft picks):
1. Tom Brady -- Quarterback enters the final year of his contract for the first time of his NFL career.
2. Logan Mankins -- Two-time Pro Bowl guard, in his prime years, is a restricted free agent who has stayed away from voluntary workouts.
3. Randy Moss -- Still a No. 1 receiver who opposing defenses must respect in the game-planning process. (check out the video at the bottom for more on Moss parting ways with his agent)
4. Wes Welker -- If he was not recovering from a serious knee injury, he could have made a strong case for a pay raise on his deal that extends through 2011.
5. Stephen Gostkowski -- Kicker enters his fifth season and signed his restricted free-agent tender to return to the team.