Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson just held a conference call with Twin Cities media and naturally the most popular subject was the Vikings trade for Randy Moss. Our colleague Mark Craig has that reaction on his blog but Tomlinson joked that he wishes the trade would have happened a week later.

Tomlinson also was asked about his decision to sign with the Jets instead of the Vikings after visiting both teams in March as a free agent. Tomlinson admitted a big factor was that the Jets offered him a more significant role in the offense.

Tomlinson would have served as Adrian Peterson's backup and third-down specialist with the Vikings. The Jets had Shonn Greene, but Tomlinson realized the potential for a more important role in that offense.

"I'm not going to lie, that was also a factor," Tomlinson said. "I knew that I would have a bigger role here because you've got a stud like Adrian Peterson in the backfield there in Minnesota. My sense was when I came there that they needed more for a Chester Taylor-type role. When I came here for the Jets [visit] it seemed to me that they needed me in a bigger role. Obviously that was a no-brainer for me."

Tomlinson said another factor was that the Jets system is similar to what he played in at San Diego for nine seasons. He has never played in the West Coast offense so he would have faced a bigger adjustment had he signed with the Vikings.

"I just felt I knew this offense," he said. "I felt like going to Minnesota would put me behind the eight-ball a little bit because I would have to learn that offense. So that pretty much came to my decision. One place I had been in the offense for nine years and the other place I would have been learning the offense for the first time."

Tomlinson also was familiar with Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, who served as the quarterbacks coach in San Diego previously.

"I knew him very well," he said. "I knew his philosophies. I knew what he wanted to get accomplished with this offense and I knew kind of how he would use me. That was very important."

Favre speaks

Brett Favre gave a quote to Vikings.com about the Moss trade. Here is the link and what he said.

"This is an exciting move, I think everybody feels that in the locker room," Favre said. "It's rare you get to play with a future Hall of Famer and get to appreciate their talents up close. Randy Moss is a great player and his career speaks for itself. I've admired him from a distance for a long time and you can't help but be impressed by the guy. I've seen him light our teams up plenty of times in those Vikings-Packers games and I'm excited to be on the same team now."