Detroit Lions: Randy Moss in Detroit? Absolutely Not

Once upon a time, Randy Moss was the most prolific athlete in all of sports. Highlighting SportsCenter Top 10 plays every week, gracing the front cover of every sports magazine, marketing his name to perfection (getting "Moss'd"), and recreating the mold of a superstar receiver, Randy Moss was on top of the world.

Key word being "was."

Moss quickly grew out of the iconic label, earning the reputation of a quitter, lazy, and a cancer in the locker room as well as on the field. With all his NFL records, All-Pro/Pro Bowl seasons, and his clear dominance of the game, all those accomplishments have become overshadowed by a quick decline in production, a pathetic work ethic, and an attitude that nobody could get under control. 

Why would any NFL GM take a chance on a diva who pouts on the sideline and lives by a "play when I wanna play" motto? Especially a young budding team like the Detroit Lions. 

After years of struggle and turmoil, the Detroit Lions franchise seems to finally be turning the page to success. Through the draft, trades, and free agency, they've finally learned how to win, and established a great foundation of young talent. Defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch is the veteran leader on defense, and franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford calls the shots on offense. It would be wise to make sure these two men continue to lead and run the show for the Lions. 

An offense's greatest nightmare is dealing with a diva wide receiver. The Lions' team chemistry is on point, and needs to stay that way if they want to continue to move forward. The play of the 35-year-old Moss isn't worth the risk of jeopardizing and ruining the team bond in the locker room.

Players like Steve Smith, Plaxico Burress and Brandon Marshall earned the infamous tag of a team distraction. However, their on-field production never has yet to be questioned. 

In Moss' last season with each team before leaving, he's posted less-than-average numbers given his talent. In 2004, Moss finished his first run in Minnesota with 49 catches and 767 yards. Moss exited Oakland in 2006 with 42 catches and 553 yards and 3 TDs. 2010 was a disaster of a season as Moss failed to find any stability with the New England Patriots, the Minnesota Vikings, and the Tennessee Titans. The troubled receiver caught 28 passes for 393 yards and 5 TDs.

Do these numbers really show any indication that Moss still has the fire to perform at a high level in the NFL?

Detroit has one of the best receiving corps in the NFL with Titus Young, Nate Burleson, and the best wide receiver in the league Calvin Johnson. Megatron has received the Randy Moss comparison since his college days at Georgia Tech, but it wouldn't be a stretch to say that Johnson is on his way to making people slowly forget about Moss.

Johnson does everything that Moss never consistently did over his 13 year career. He's become a crisp route runner, blocks downfield, plays in the slot as well as the outside, and most importantly, Johnson's a humble, hard-working player who never takes a play off. 

The NFL is a "what have you done lately" kind of league. Young players and proven veterans fight for contracts by showing they can be a positive asset in the future of the organization. That ship has sailed for Randy Moss.

He's been given plenty of opportunities to prove he has something left in the tank. There were flashes in his last few seasons with the New England Patriots, but that won't be enough to persuade any NFL general managers this offseason. It seems highly unlikely that Moss will play in the NFL in 2012-13, and for every teams' sake, that's good news, especially the Detroit Lions.

Don't expect to see Randy Moss in Honolulu blue next season.