Leave it to Randy Moss to make this an even more interesting offseason aside from all the Peyton Manning drama. After a brief hiatus and a year off in 2011, Moss is going to attempt a comeback for the 2012 season. While speaking during his 35th birthday chat, here is what Moss had to say:
"I just wanna go to a team and play some football," he said. "Faith, family, and football, that’s my M.O., bro. Your boy be back for the upcoming season."
The two questions now are: Will there be teams who will take a chance on him? And if so, which ones?
Moss hadn't exactly ended his previous career on a high note. After 3 strong seasons in New England, one of which saw him break the "receiving touchdowns in a season" record with 23 scores in 2007, Moss was quickly shipped to Minnesota during the 2010 season after Moss claimed he felt "unwanted" by the organization. Moss' reunion in Minnesota would be short lived, however, after the team waived him less than four weeks after the New England trade when he started causing problems with, then, head coach Brad Childress.
The Tennessee Titans, who were the only team to put in a bid, claimed Moss off waivers on November 3, 2010. Moss played eight games total, but only started four. During his time with the Titans, Moss made a mere six catches for 80 yards and no touchdowns. Entering the 2011 offseason, the Titans made zero effort to bring Moss back. In the 2010 season as a whole, Moss set career lows in receptions (28) and receiving yards (393).
So fast forward to the present: How much interest could there possible be for Moss at 35 and having missed an entire season of football? If Plaxico Burress could miss two seasons and still gain enough interest to be signed by the Jets, I'd like to think that Moss should get plenty of interest from a few teams who desperately need receiver help.
According to Yahoo Sports, the Eagles and Jets "are at least curious" about Moss. With Burress expected to leave New York via free agency, there is a glaring hole at receiver across from Santonio Holmes. As for the Eagles; Andy Reid has shown plenty of interest in Moss in the past. He reportedly offered Moss more money than the Patriots did after his contract expired in 2008, but Moss had no interest in playing for anyone else except the Patriots, who eventually signed him to a three-year, $27 million deal on March 3, 2008. Reid then reportedly made another attempt at offering Moss a contract right after Moss' agent, Joel Segal, announced his client was "retiring" on August 1, 2011.
Another team to look out for are the 49ers. Right now, Kyle Williams, the goat of the NFC Championship game against the Giants, is currently penciled in across from Michael Crabtree, but that won't last long. There is belief that the team will bring back Josh Morgan. But a duo of Crabtree and Moss, with Vernon Davis added in, would definitely help San Fran make another Super Bowl run.
Much of this speculated interest will depend on Moss himself. Will his attitude be in the right place? It certainly wasn't in Minnesota or Tennessee, but maybe a year off humbled him. And if Moss can prove he still has the speed to be a deep threat (Moss says he can still run a forty time in the 4.3s), he should have plenty of interest from teams once free agency begins.