49ers Preview: Randy Moss Is Ready to Start and Star in 2012

Randy Moss is back, and amazingly, he might be as good as ever.

As of right now, he’s set to start for the San Francisco 49ers. At least that’s the story we’ve heard coming out of minicamp for nearly a month now.

He’s running like the wind, catching everything in sight and, perhaps most importantly, showing the young 49ers receivers how a professional should approach his craft.

Apparently, the only thing he hasn’t done well is fish.

Predictably, many fans are skeptical of Moss’ seemingly rejuvenated desire and workman-like demeanor.  After all, Moss’ career has been marked by his unpredictable attitude swings as much as it has by his brilliant play.

And then there are the concerns about his ability to perform once the hitting starts.

When Moss hung up his cleats following the 2010 NFL season, nobody thought he’d be back. During that final year, Moss played for three different teams, and produced career lows in receptions (28) and receiving yards (393). Moss appeared to have lost some of his once-elite speed along with his desire to continue playing football.

So, what’s changed? Why should we believe he can still compete?

The short answer for 49er fans should be, “Who cares? It’s Randy Moss!”

Fact is, the 49ers’ run through the playoffs last year—and the way it ended—proved that they had two crippling weaknesses: They couldn’t throw deep and they couldn’t score in the red zone. Although it’s fair to question most things about Moss, we know for certain that, if motivated, the man can go deep and catch a fade route in the corner.

Considering that the 49ers signed him to such a team-friendly deal (Moss’ base salary is only $1.75 million), the mere outside chance that he could cure what ails the offense makes the signing a great one.

Even if he flames out in a press conference or simply can’t perform in live action, it won’t cost the 49ers much. And relative to the potential panacea he represents for the offense, there’s no reason to be anything but excited about him.

Put it this way: There’s a possibility that Moss can fill the one void that kept the 49ers out of the Super Bowl last season. That possibility might be small, but at this price, I’m buying.