Randy Moss to Make an NFL Return? 7 Teams That Could Use Him
Randy Moss, who retired from the NFL on Aug. 1, reportedly wants to make a comeback.
The eccentric former wide receiver celebrated his 35th birthday on Monday by announcing his retirement from football has come to an end on his Ustream video channel, chatting live with viewers for approximately an hour.
Moss is ninth all-time in receptions (954), fifth in receiving yards (14,858), and second in receiving touchdowns (153). (Reuters/Shaun Best)
I wanna play football, Moss said Monday morning. Your boy is gonna come back and play some football, man. I'm very excited. Like I said, man, I just had a lot of things that I had to adjust in my life, man.
He continued: Faith, family, and football, man. That's my M.O., bro. If one of those three is off balance, man, then you get a mad, disappointed, and sad Moss [...] hopefully I get on a team, man, and hopefully I can finish this thing the way I want to.
Moss also fielded questions from viewers, one in particular that asked whether he regretted leaving football.
No, I do not regret retiring, he said. I really think I am because retiring... I had to really get out of the fast lane and really get a grasp on what was going on in my real life. I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm happy to be in the position I'm in. I've been playing football since I was 6-years old. I don't think y'all really realize that. The day I retired took a lot to call it quits, took a lot of guts.
Moss didn't play in 2011 after a turbulent 2010 season that included stints with the three teams: the New England Patriots, the Minnesota Vikings and the Tennessee Titans. That year, he mustered only 28 receptions for 393 yards.
At 35, Moss most likely won't receive many offers. However, he may still have one or two good years left in him, enough to convince a handful of teams that he can be useful. Those teams are:
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers may not have overtaken the New Orleans Saints in the divisional round had it not been for tight end Vernon Davis. He had seven catches for 180 yards and two touchdowns that game, and the next game against in the New York Giants had three for 112 and two touchdowns. But after Davis, San Francisco's next best receiver was running back Frank Gore, who had 13 postseason catches for 83 yards. Adding Moss could provide young receivers Michael Crabtree and Braylon Edwards with veteran leadership. Both can learn a thing or two about the deep ball, an area the 49ers didn't take advantage until the playoffs thanks to a conservative, 30th-ranked passing offense (183.1 yards per game).
Chicago Bears
The Bears don't have a true number-one receiver. Moss probably won't be that guy, but he could be the go-to guy on the deep ball that quarterback Jay Cutler, when healthy, likes to throw.
Buffalo Bills
The Bills were 15th in passing during the regular season (231.4 yards per game), but were 28th in average yards per catch (10.8). Similar to the 49ers, the Bills used a conservative offense, but quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick showed his capabilities of throwing the ball deep, especially to wide receiver Stevie Johnson. Moss, being another deep threat for the team, can relieve pressure off of Johnson, which may result in more of an open field and one-on-one matchups for Fitzpatrick to thrive in.
Denver Broncos
Again, another case of a conservative passing team with a quarterback that displayed the long ball. Tim Tebow's long ball wasn't the prettiest. But when he threw it, it mattered, and it helped the Broncos mightily. Next year, Tebow should have a more developed arm and feel more comfortable with his receivers. Adding Moss to the corps then could only help him by giving him a guy who can not only go long, but also use experienced route-running to accelerate in the slot, another area of the field Tebow has had success with.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Quarterback Josh Freeman went through a sophomore slump, leading his team to a 4-12 record after high expectations. Then, Raheem Morris was fired in January. Adding Moss to an overall young team, especially to a young wide receivers corps, should bring some extra leadership and motivation to the locker room. The Bucs were a bottom-five team in not only average yards per catch (10.5), but also on pass plays of both 20 and 40 yards or more. With Moss, Freeman should be a bit freer to use his arm.
St. Louis Rams
Quarterback Sam Bradford has been suffering from shoulder injuries, which may be a huge deterrent to throw the long ball. So, Moss may be out of luck in that facet. Nevertheless, the Rams might still be in desperate need of a receiver just to give Bradford more options. In that case, Moss would be a proven option given his resume.
San Diego Chargers
Philip Rivers headed the sixth-ranked passing offense last season. So why would he need Moss? Well, for one reason: Vincent Jackson. San Diego is reportedly not expected to use the franchise tag on the star receiver, which means the only possibility of keeping him is offering a long-term contract. But, considering that the Chargers used the tag on Jackson last season, and dealt with his lengthy contract holdout the year before, getting a long-term deal done before he becomes a free agent on March 13 doesn't seem likely. Outside of Jackson, San Diego lacks a top-flight receiver. If he leaves, it will leave the Chargers scrambling to find someone who can stretch the field. And, if no one else is willing to come aboard, Moss might be the best option.
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