Canadian Import Moore Will Try to Make Patriots

Wide receiver Will Moore knows he is going to have to make a sizable adjustment going from the Canadian Football League to the NFL.

He can begin with trajectory.

Moore played the past three seasons with the Calgary Stampeders, where he caught passes from Doug Flutie, who is 5 feet 9.

With the New England Patriots, who signed Moore as a free agent, he’ll be taking passes from Drew Bledsoe, who is 6-5.

“Canada is a different style,” said Moore, who attended a Patriots veteran minicamp last week. “You have to have a quarterback that is more mobile. Here it’s more of a control type of game. You need a quarterback that stands in the pocket and delivers the ball. That’s what Bledsoe does.”

Moore, who wasn’t drafted coming out of Texas Southern University, played in one game for Calgary in 1992. He became a starter in 1993 and had 73 receptions for 1,083 yards. In 1994, Moore had 44 catches for 792 yards, catching 11 of Flutie’s 48 touchdown passes.

Since signing with New England in March, he has spent two days a week working with Bledsoe and backup quarterback Scott Zolak.

“He’s a very good player,” Bledsoe said. “When you bring a guy in, there’s some skepticism because if he was that good, he wouldn’t have been playing in Canada.

“He’s shown us a lot. I’ve been really impressed with the guy. He’s really quick out of his breaks. He’s got great hands. He’s a very smooth athlete. If he can produce in games the way he looks like he can produce in practice, he’s going to be a great weapon for us.”

Moore was judged to be too slow by NFL standards and did not even get a tryout coming out of college, despite 129 career receptions for 1,924 yards and 24 TDs at TSU.

But the Patriots expect Moore, 6-2, 180 pounds, to take a run at replacing Michael Timpson, who signed with the Chicago Bears. Third-year player Ray Crittenden and second-year player Kevin Lee, who missed 1994 with a broken jaw, are the other leading candidates for Timpson’s job.

Patriot Coach Bill Parcells said he is expecting big things from Vincent Brisby at one wide receiver position, with Timpson’s slot open. Parcells said Moore is “an unknown commodity” but he could emerge.

“This kid’s got three years’ experience in pro football,” Parcells said. “That gives him a little edge over some rookie. He’s got a lot more football under his belt than Kevin Lee does. I think he’ll be a contender, too.

“You’ve just got to get the ball to him. He looks like he’ll catch it.”

Moore, who is from Dallas, said, “It’s always been a goal of mine to play in the NFL.”

The NFL, however, thought his 4.6 speed in the 40 would prevent him from being successful. But Moore was successful in the wide-open CFL style.

“It was a speed thing,” Moore said. “(NFL scouts) told me I had good hands but I wasn’t qualified as far as running the 40. They said I wasn’t fast enough.

“I always thought I was fast. I’ve never been able to run the 40. Maybe it’s my technique. As far as getting on the field and running against guys, I’ve always been able to get open and run by guys. But I was always labeled as being slow.”

Flutie said Moore “has the best hands of any receiver I’ve thrown to, along with my brother, Darren. He made some unbelievable catches on balls I didn’t think he’d even get to, never mind catch.”

On the smaller NFL field, Moore recognizes he will have to get open quicker and shake free from cornerbacks who will bump-and-run at the line of scrimmage.

“The cornerbacks are better here than in Canada,” Moore said. “Here you have to get to the area as fast as you can.”

Moore said he doesn’t have any doubts he can play in the NFL, but having Bledsoe rocketing the ball to him will make that task easier.

“He throws the ball real well,” Moore said.