Rey Mysterio's Possible WWE Return Is Not the Answer to Roster Depth Issues

WWE doesn't need Rey Mysterio to complete its murmuration of high-flying stars.

At this stage in his career, he's not a dependable enough option to lean on. As tempted as the company may be to relive past glory and showcase a man who is already a top-tier star, it's smarter to invest in-house, to anoint those poised to be Mysterio's heirs.

With Daniel Bryan, Randy Orton, Rusev and Seth Rollins all out with injury, WWE doesn't have nearly the number of quality pieces in its puzzle that it wants. 

And so it brought back Alberto Del Rio. It has reportedly reworked Brock Lesnar's contract to include more dates, per the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Wrestling Inc).

What about giving Mysterio a call, too? He's at least open to the idea. 

In a recent interview on WrestleTalk TV, Mysterio said of a potential WWE comeback, "If the opportunity came, and it wasn't too committed, why not?"

Of course "why not?" is Mysterio's answer. A hefty payday would await him with WWE. A grand stage and radiant spotlight would, too.

WWE, though, has reason to be hesitant.

Mysterio's final years with WWE saw him fail to sustain momentum because he was so often hurt. Or, in one case, suspended. Mysterio has two strikes against him in terms of violating the Talent Wellness Program after being suspended for the second time in 2012.

Injuries then flooded in for the high-flyer when he returned. WWE announced that he had suffered a concussion that same year. In 2013, lingering knee issues reemerged:

As Travis Hopson of Daily DDT noted, Mysterio later went on a sabbatical to allow a wrist injury to heal.

WWE couldn't put Mysterio in any high-profile feuds without fear that his body would fail him again. He's a 40-year-old with surgically repaired knees.

His match totals, per CageMatch.net, in his last years with the company speak to how often he was out of action:

And even if Mysterio's knees hold up and he can stay healthy through a full feud, he's just not the same performer. His arsenal is so dependent on speed that he no longer has. His strengths (agility, quickness, aerial displays) have been tempered by time and age.

To watch a Mysterio match from his time in Mexico or WCW and to watch what he produced for WWE most recently is to watch two different wrestlers.

A rested Mysterio did look excellent against Myzteziz at AAA TripleMania XXIII, but there were a few clunky spots that he would have likely avoided earlier in his career. And as Jason Powell of ProWrestling.net wrote, "The match wasn't as great as it could have been when these two were younger."

The thing is, WWE has far younger talent waiting in the wings. Those wrestlers don't have the star power that Mysterio does right now, but his return would be no long-term investment. It's better that the company focus more on the emerging high-flyers on its roster and look to have them garner the kind of success Mysterio had.

Kalisto has been a thrill to watch, a dynamo in the vein of Mysterio whose popularity is headed in the right direction.

Neville has stepped up each time WWE calls on him. Whether it pits him against Rollins, Kevin Owens or Stardust, he lights up the ring with dazzling moves.

NXT boasts Finn Balor and Apollo Crews. WWE recently signed indy star and gravity-defying wunderkind Rich Swann.

While there will never be another Mysterio, it's obvious that the future of flying in WWE is bright. That's where WWE's focus should be. Rather than shell out big bucks for a version of Mysterio, the company is better off elevating younger, hungry, lesser-known talents.

It's time to find out which newcomer will fill the void that Mysterio left rather than have a lesser version of the luchador try to step into that spot.