Jets Rumored to Be Interested in Randy Moss

Mike Freeman of CBS Sports confirmed through league sources that the Jets have some interest. Freeman thinks it would be a huge mistake for the Jets to pursue Moss, saying that Moss is “done” and any team that signs him are “big, fat suckers.”

We can’t sugar-coat last year for Randy Moss. It was ugly, and much of it his own doing. Sure, after he dragged his way out of New England after grousing about a long term deal, it didn’t help that the trade partner was the dysfunctional Minnesota circus with Brett Favre and Brad Childress. We’ve seen it before with Randy Moss in Oakland, but the difference here is not only do teams have to deal with his motivation, but also the effects of father time.

Of the other ten receivers to get to 11,000 yards by age 33, four of them (Holt, Irvin, Largent, Reed) had their last 1,000 yard receiving season by age 32, the same age Moss was in 2009 before last year’s disaster. Two others (Harrison and Bruce) had their final 1,000 yard season at age 34, the same age as Randy Moss this year. Nobody besides the freak Jerry Rice from the group of elite receivers managed to do so after age 35.

Randy isn’t Jerry Rice in terms of work ethic and desire to continue. Reality has to be that if he is not on the decline, he soon will be, so any team that signs him should plan on a 1-year deal. We’ve seen Randy, though, grouse about playing without a long term extension, and unless he changes his ways, any team that signs him will have to deal with the same issue. He might have something left in terms of physical ability to dominate for a season or two, but it’s hard to tell how much of last year was lack of effort and how much was age related decline. I won’t say any team that signs him are suckers, because it depends on the investment and terms of the deal, but any team that signs him will probably have to do more than 1 year to try to buy “good Randy” in 2011, and then, as sad as it is to say, hope 2010 was more about his attitude than his age.

[photo via Getty]