Patriots WR Moss could leave New England as contract expires

2010 is the last year of the three-year contract between New England Patriots and wide receiver Randy Moss and Moss expects that the Patriots are likely to let him leave as the contract expires because a 33-year-old wide receiver could be expendable in the league.

"I don’t think they going to extend my contract here," Moss told reporters, per the Boston Globe, today while attending a charity softball game in Florida. "I understand the beast, the nature of it. I think that just with what I think and what I know I don’t think they’re going to re-sign me back. So, after this season if there is not a lockout I’ll be looking for a new team. I got a lot of respect for the Patriots and what they did for me and my family. So, the only thing I can do is just play this year out and see what my future holds after that."

With the contract, the Patriots should pay totally $27 million to Moss and the base salary in 2010 is $6.4 million. Catching 83 passes for 1,264 yards and 13 touchdowns last year, Moss does not expect the Patriots to pay much for retaining a receiver at his age. However, he believes quarterback Tom Brady will continue wearing the Patriots jerseys with a long-term contract.

Free agent WR Ortiz returned to Patriots

After releasing him last month for the second time, the New England Patriots finally considered giving free agent wide receiver Robert Ortiz a chance to play in regular season.

Ortiz may get used to being released or waived before a regular season. His first team was the San Diego Chargers, who signed him from San Diego State as a rookie free agent in 2006. However, just before the 2006 season began, the Chargers waived him.

Ortiz then went to the Seattle Seahawks’ training camp in 2007, and once again, he was waived before the first regular-season game. The Patriots signed him before the 2008 season but released him even before the training camp. The fourth team who signed him was the San Francisco 49ers, who also waived him before regular season last year.

Hopefully this time he will wear the patriots jersey long enough to go through a regular season.

Chance comes: to win Pats season tickets for life

Since NFL owners in May approved a rule that allows teams to partner with local lotteries, there have been eight NFL teams to offer instant lottery games. The lastest one was announced on Tuesday by the New England Patriots and Massachusetts lottery.

The Massachusetts lottery, which already had deals with the Red Sox and Celtics, has sold $777 million in sports-themed tickets. They hope o sell 30 million of the $5 Patriots-themed tickets. If they make it, the game will gross $151 million and the Patriots will realize “millions of dollars”.

As for the prizes, the game will offer a chance to win Pats season tickets for life, among 10 instant tickets each worth $1 million, 4,250 Patriot VIP ticket packages and team merchandise. There are totally five pairs of Patriots season tickets for life, which will come from second-chance drawings.