Randy Moss to 49ers? Examining the Pros and Cons of Moss in San Francisco

Let's take a look at the pros and cons of Randy Moss joining the San Francisco 49ers in 2012.

Recent reports have the 49ers hosting Moss for a workout on Monday, only days after Trent Baalke refused to rule out the possibility of going after the legendary receiver.

I've seen mostly negativity from 49ers fans on Twitter and in the forums. People don't think this would be a good fit. 

Who knows? It could very well end up being another brilliant move by Baalke in free agency.

Last year, most of us were of the opinion that Baalke was out of his mind when he drafted Aldon Smith at seven, and many people said the team took a massive reach to draft Chris Culliver in the third round. 

Both turned out to be big hits.

Then, in free agency, Baalke told us to have "patience" while he did nothing, seemingly letting all the best players go to other teams. 

That worked out pretty good, too.

So, if Baalke wants to kick the tires on a sure-fire Hall of Famer, I say we shouldn't be so quick to dismiss the notion.

Pro: Speed Plus Hands Equals Better Results for Frank Gore

Frank Gore has spent his entire career on a team that hasn't had a reliable deep threat, leading to eight-and-nine-man defensive fronts and a whole lot of bumps and bruises.

Randy Moss is as reliable a deep threat as anyone in the history of the NFL. In his career, he has caught 76 passes for 40 yards or longer.

Alex Smith may not be the best deep-ball quarterback in the league, but he is still capable of hitting them half the time. Teams will have to respect the threat and keep their safeties deep or risk giving away a quick six.

This will give Gore something he's never before had in his first seven years in the league: room to run.

Con: Moss Disappears for Games (Sometimes Seasons) at a Time

Randy Moss quit on the Oakland Raiders and the Minnesota Vikings.

Many people have said he was right to quit on the Raiders, something I can't agree with. He was sent to the New England Patriots and renewed his career as a happy camper with Tom Brady slinging the rock.

Professionals, whether in sports or in the real world, are paid to do a job. Quitting should get you fired, not rewarded. 

Moss was fired the second time he quit on a team. The Vikings sent Moss packing after a play on which he quit the route led to Brett Favre getting injured.

When Moss ins't happy, he quits.

Since the 49ers are a run-first team, there is a very real possibility that Moss could become unhappy.

Pro: Moss Can Get Wide Open Against Any Defense

One of the biggest problems Alex Smith had in the playoff loss against the New York Giants was that he didn't have a wide receiver that could get open. 

Michael Crabtree was totally dominated, leaving the Giants defense to focus on Vernon Davis and shutting the passing game down completely with their pass-rush. Sure, Davis still managed to haul in two touchdowns, but for the most part, there wasn't anything happening downfield.

Moss can get open against any defense at any time. His freakish speed and long limbs allow him to separate from any defender.

If you want proof, just check out this YouTube video of every single touchdown in his historic 23-touchdown 2007 season with the Patriots.

Smith has shown good accuracy and timing when he has trust with his receivers. Moss would foster that trust by making plays, and the 49ers offense would finally possess the piece that has been missing for the better part of a decade: firepower at the wide receiver position.

Con: Moss Isn't a West Coast Receiver, Alex Smith Isn't a Deep-Ball QB

Joe Montana didn't have much of an arm. Yet somehow, he managed to complete plenty of long bombs to Jerry Rice and John Taylor. 

So how did he do it?

The West Coast offense is all about timing. You dink and you dunk, something Smith has become quite adept at doing, until the defense gets lazy and out of position, and then you hit them for a 40-yard strike down the seam for a touchdown.

Alex Smith isn't exactly John Elway out there, but he has proven to have the ability to hit well-timed precision strikes within the constructs of the West Coast offense. 

Randy Moss may not be Jerry Rice out there, but he is surely capable of running the routes necessary to be a consistent threat in this offense.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh seems to prescribe to the idea that you don't try to fit a square peg in a round hole, and I'm positive he and Greg Roman could figure out a way to make the most out of Moss' considerable abilities.

Conclusion

The 49ers should be able to get Moss for cheaper than, say, Mike Wallace. 

All the reports coming out of his latest workout are that he's looking like his old self again. 

The 49ers have proven over the course of the last few years that they aren't likely to break the bank on any one player. Moss could be their way of getting Alex Smith the necessary weapon on offense while still leaving room in the cap for further improvements elsewhere on their roster.

Besides, they could still end up drafting a young stud, like Stephen Hill out of Georgia Tech.

If they can land Moss for $2.5 million per year, I'd be happy with it. He could be the missing piece to get the 49ers offense over the hump in the red zone and in the playoffs.

What do you think? Should the 49ers take Moss if he blows them away in the workout on Monday?

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