Skins hope Moss will thrive again as their X-man

[MTK]

Santana Moss knows what’s happened when he’s played this spot in the past: big years. The Redskins, and Moss, hope that happens again.
In the new West Coast offense, Moss will play the X, or outside receiver, position. He last played that spot during his first year in Washington. He responded with 84 catches for 1,483 yards and nine touchdowns.

He also played this spot during his third season in New York — and caught 74 passes for 1,105 yards and 10 scores.

“Those were my best seasons,” Moss said. “Hopefully I’ll do the same thing.”

Moss played the Z, or flanker, spot the past two seasons with Antwaan Randle El and Brandon Lloyd playing X. But new coach Jim Zorn wanted Moss at X.

“The group before us, they had him at flanker and motioned him down and saw him as a move guy,” Zorn said. “But I see him as a vertical threat.”
In a typical setting, Moss would be by himself on one side while Randle El and tight end Chris Cooley is on the other. Before, Moss would be paired with Cooley. Teams would double one or the other.

“Now if they double me, then you’ve got two guys one on one [on the other side],” he said. “With X, I get a lot of good opportunities.”

There will be plenty of times, in four- and five-receiver sets, that Moss will line up inside. But, for now, he’s strictly working at X. Only Randle El and James Thrash are working at multiple receiver positions.

“[Moss] has enough muscle and grit to run slants and how are you going to press him and leave that DB one on one?” Zorn said. “I’m thinking about different ways to create formations for us that will create a real uncomfortable situation for coordinators. He’s outside this play; now he’s inside; now he’s over here. What are you gonna do?”

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