Wide receiver Santana Moss is set to begin his first season as a Redskin. In the latest installment of Redskins Talkback, he spoke with Redskins.com recently and discussed the "height issue," his rapport with Patrick Ramsey and the March 2005 trade from the New York Jets:
Q: Santana, there's been a lot of discussion lately that the Redskins' receivers are small in height. What's your take on that issue?
A: "I think the wide receiver position has changed over the years. If you look at the league, some of the best receivers aren't really six feet tall. You have a lot of guys who are barely touching six feet and still getting the job done. There were a lot of receivers before our time that probably weren't that tall. You have to respect what a certain receiver brings to the game. You have to respect a Mark Duper and a Mark Clayton and what they did in Miami. Every receiver is going to have something different that he brings to the game. If he's six feet tall, then he's blessed. If he's below six feet tall, then he's blessed. You have to use that receiver to what he does best. The team that has a receiver below six feet, they got him for that purpose. We have speed and route-running ability and all of the other little things we do in and out of traffic. I would never want to be six feet if I can't do what I'm doing now. I use what I have to the best of my advantage. I use my height to my advantage."
Q: How quickly has it taken you to get a feel for Patrick Ramsey's throwing motion?
A: "Coming in early in OTAs and getting a feel for his throwing has helped us. Now I feel like I've been catching his ball all my life. When I first came, I was shocked at how strong his arm was. Now it's something I'm used to and I can go out there and focus on the routes because I know where the ball is going to go. So as long as we keep practicing the way we've been practicing and playing the way we've been playing, we should be all right."
Q: Are there any similarities between Patrick and Chad Pennington, your quarterback in New York?
A: "I don't have to explain that. The similarities are that they're both going to be great. They're both going to be talked about in the future and you're going to say, 'Hey, they had wonderful careers.' Other than that, Chad throws the ball different and Patrick has his own twist on his ball. I just think they'll both be special guys and we'll be hearing a lot from both of them in the future.
Q: Do you feel any pressure to emerge as this team's No. 1 wide receiver?
A: "Not at all. I was a No. 1 receiver in New York, whether they used me like that or not. Anybody who is a starter should say they're No. 1. I'm sure David Patten feels the same way. If you go out there thinking anything else, then you're not out there for the purpose of being the best."
Q: Looking back, were you surprised at the trade that sent Laveranues Coles to New York and brought you to Washington, D.C.?
A: "No, I had heard something might happen and I was aware of it. I just told myself that things happen for a reason. All I remember was that last year, I fought through injuries and went out there and played every game. If I'm out on the field, I want a chance to be able to do what I can do. I would practice hard all week leading up to the game, then I would never be appreciative of how I got into the game. I didn't have a chance to be a part of the team and go out and make the plays that I can make. I don't like to ever be told that I'm something. I'd rather be the guy to tell you who I am."
