Thursday, July 14, 2011

Agent: 'Old Randy Moss' ready to return in 2011

Agent Joel Segal told NFL.com that Moss is in "freakish shape" after "working out, two-a-days, all spring and summer in West Virginia." "He is determined, motivated and quite frankly has a huge chip on his shoulder. Whatever team ends up getting Randy, they're going to know they're getting the old Randy Moss," Segal told NFL.com. "He's not just coming in to be on the team, he's going to be Randy Moss -- a difference maker." Moss, who turned 34 in February, finished 2010 with 28 receptions -- including just six in his eight games with Tennessee -- along with 393 receiving yards and five touchdowns in an up-and-down season in which he split time with the Titans, Minnesota Vikings and New England Patriots. That production was a big drop for the receiver who ranks second only to Jerry Rice for most TD catches, 100-yard receiving games and most games with two TD catches or more. The seven-time Pro Bowler is tied with the Steelers' Hines Ward for eighth all-time in receptions with 954.

Agent: 'Old Randy Moss' ready to return in 2011


He is just one of 10 players to have 950 or more career receptions. The New York Jets are among the teams reportedly interested in Moss. Three of New York's top four receivers (Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards, Brad Smith) likely will be unrestricted free agents when the lockout is lifted. Moss became a star in college, when he ended up at Marshall after off-field issues caused Notre Dame to rescind a scholarship offer. He had two brilliant seasons with the Thundering Herd, but he fell to the Vikings at No. 21 in the 1998 draft because of concerns about his character. Moss unleashed all of that pent-up frustration in his first season, scoring 17 touchdowns and averaging more than 19 yards per catch to help the Vikings reach the NFC title game. In his seven seasons with the Vikings, Moss caught 574 passes for 9,142 yards and 90 touchdowns. But the Vikings eventually grew tired of Moss' occasionally petulant behavior, and shipped him to the Raiders in 2005. A few nagging injuries and Oakland's struggles on the field combined to make his two years there largely unproductive. However, 2007 -- his first year in New England -- ranks among the best from any receiver in NFL history, with 98 catches for 1,493 yards and a record 23 touchdowns to help the Patriots reach the Super Bowl. He caught 50 touchdowns in 52 games with the Patriots. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.