NFL Trade Rumors: Could Randy Moss Be a Downfield Weapon for the Eagles?

Randy Moss is still looking for a new home after disappointing results with the New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee Titans in 2010.

Could Moss team up with Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson to give the Philadelphia Eagles the most feared downfield passing game in the NFL?

NFL Network reporter Albert Breer says it's possible. "Colleague Jason LaCanfora mentioned Eagles as potential landing spot for Randy Moss. Remember, Philly made a real run at him in FA in 2008."

However, Moss is now a 34-year-old receiver who has clearly seen better days.

When Bill Belichick and the Patriots decide to trade a veteran like Moss following three straight productive seasons, that should be an immediate red flag. The Eagles need for another weapon could cause them to ignore that warning signal.

Jackson's holdout will be over before the August 9th deadline since he won't want to risk losing a year toward becoming a free agent, which is set to happen in 2012. A Moss signing wouldn't signify a long holdout for Jackson, but rather an additional weapon for Vick to utilize.

By joining a receiving corps that already includes Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, Moss' workload would be significantly less than his days as a clear No. 1 wideout. That isn't necessarily a bad thing since it would allow him to remain in optimal shape throughout the entire season.

Perhaps Belichick noticed a loss of explosiveness from Moss. He caught at least one pass of 50 yards or more in each of his first 12 seasons in the league. In 2010 though, Moss' longest reception was for 37 yards.

At 6'4'' and 210 pounds, Moss is still an imposing presence that will draw defensive coverages based on reputation alone. That additional threat—which would allow more space for Jackson to get open—would solve one of the major problems that arose for the Eagles late last season.

Jackson did not have more than four receptions over the Eagles' last six games, including during their playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers. No pass play was more predictable than his play-action go route that the Eagles seemed to run first every single week.

With Moss on the opposite side and Maclin working the slot, there should be more area for Jackson to operate. The Eagles already worked from a three-receiver set 51 percent of the time last season—the fifth-most in the league—so the offensive game plan could remain essentially the same.

Moss would probably have to accept a contract for less than he was hoping for at the start of the offseason. However, the market for his services has been small, so any offer is a good offer.

This would also allow him to remain in the spotlight, which might be more important than anything else at this point in his career.