Randy Moss and Saints: New Orleans Must Carry Low Expectations with Former Star

Everything that the Saints do as it relates to Randy Moss must involve one simple word—caution.

They must be cautious when trying him out, as Jay Glazer of Fox Sports is reporting is happening on Tuesday. In the event that they actually sign Moss, that same guarded approach must continue. 

Simply put, Moss is not a player that you can depend on. Character-wise, we'll be nice and say that he's been shaky everywhere he's gone. That isn't to say that he's not worth any risk at all.

Clearly, we're talking about a player who's enjoyed 10 1,000-yard seasons and is one of the best receivers to ever play the game. That is why he is worth looking at. But if he shows the Saints what they want to see and heads to New Orleans, there is only one way to approach this.

Week to week. 

Do not ever get to a point with Moss where you're too reliant on him. I don't care what history he or Drew Brees has against a given defensive back, a big game's strategy can never be anything more than a possible occasional deep ball.

Going beyond one game, you certainly can't put Moss in an offensive system with hopes that he'll be there five or six weeks down the road. 

In the injury-plagued world of the NFL, that is never a good idea. When you're dealing with someone who has Moss' background, it's even more true. You just can't ever get to a point where having to cut him would be the end of the world for your team. 

The Saints (or any NFL team) need to know that they could afford to call Moss into the coach's office and hand him his walking papers and not have it hurt the team in a big way down the road. 

Moss' history of being stable is not good. The most recent memory of him is even worse, as he played for three teams in 2010, totaling fewer than 400 yards receiving. 

That isn't to say that Moss would have that kind of season again, but any team can't be caught off-guard if it does happen. 

In real-life terms, think of Moss as a rebound fling. He serves many purposes and has a lot of appeal. Still, don't think it's going to last long-term. Planning on anything more than a short-term basis will result in frustration. 

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