A little trivia for all football fans out there: What NFL team is the only one to have had the top three receivers in touchdown catches play for them? The answer to this question is the San Francisco 49ers, thanks to the acquisition of Randy Moss last week.
Moss is tied with Terrell Owens for second most touchdown catches in NFL history. They both trail Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, who spent almost his entire career with the 49ers.
Moss ended his one year retirement by signing a one year deal with the 49ers a few hours after he worked out for the team. His arrival brings an instant upgrade to a team that ranked 29th out of 32 teams in passing yards per game.
Although Moss is 35 years old and has been viewed as a locker room cancer throughout his NFL career, he appears motivated to put his disappointing 2010 season behind him. According to 49ers personnel, he arrived at the 49ers workout in excellent shape and focused on making the team. The one year contract serves as a low-risk, high-reward signing for the 49ers because the team can cut Moss at any time next year and not be tied down financially.
Moss’ ability to spread the field and use his athleticism to cause mismatches will help receiver Michael Crabtree and tight end Vernon Davis get open more often. While 100 receptions or even 1,000 receiving yards may seem out of reach for Moss at his age, he is still capable of catching touchdowns and making it easier on San Francisco’s offense to get into the end zone, something the team struggled with greatly last season.
Moss may not be the player he was five years ago when he caught an NFL-record 23 touchdowns with the New England Patriots, but joining a team that was a win away from going to the Super Bowl, like the 49ers were last year, makes it a signing to cheer about.