Patriots Trade for Eagles' Greg Lewis

Earlier this week, the National Football Post's Mike Lombardi suggested that a team looking for a Wes Welker-type player should give serious consideration to trading for Saints restricted free agent Lance Moore. It would take a second-round pick, which seems eminently reasonable given that's what the Patriots gave up to get Welker.

No one's yet made a play for Moore, but on Thursday, New England sent a fifth-round pick to the Eagles for Greg Lewis. A seemingly odd move, until you consider that Lewis is in the mold of Welker and Lewis -- a smallish, elusive slot receiver who also plays special teams (noteworthy distinction: Lewis excels on the coverage teams, not as a returner like Welker and, to a lesser extent, Moore.

And like Welker before he arrived in New England, Lewis has had some success against the Patriots -- in an '07 game, he caught four passes for 83 yards and two TDs, and in Super Bowl XXXIX, he had more four receptions for 53 yards and one score. Unlike Welker, however, Lewis has primarily been the third or fourth option during his career. But that won't be a problem in New England where Lewis will replace Jabar Gaffney, who followed offensive coordinator-turned-Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels to Denver.

The Patriots have been busily retooling the roster this offseason -- trading Matt Cassel, signing Fred Taylor and Shawn Springs, and now acquiring Lewis; now all that's left to do is sign Terrell Owens. Somehow I think Randy Moss would want it that way.