Wide receiver Randy Moss made a special announcement on his birthday: He plans to end his brief retirement and return to football.
Moss, who turned 35 today, might find an interested team somewhere in the NFL but I don't expect him to land in the AFC North. This is a division where three teams need to add wide receiver help either in free agency or the draft. But adding Moss is a gamble because of his attitude. Here are my team-by-team breakdowns on why I don't see Moss coming to the AFC North:
BENGALS: The Bengals desperately need a No. 2 wide receiver, and they're expected to sign one in free agency. But the distractions that a moody Moss brings wouldn't be a positive influence on an offense with a young quarterback and young No. 1 wide receiver. The Bengals talked about improved locker room chemistry when they traded away Chad Ochocinco and didn't re-sign Terrell Owens. They don't want to go down that road again.
BROWNS: Moss would provide what Cleveland really needs: a downfield threat. But the Browns will be among the last places that Moss will end up because of new offensive coordinator Brad Childress. It was two years ago when Childress abruptly cut Moss in Minnesota after four games (and after trading a third-round pick to the Patriots).“We had good guys, by and large, [but Moss] walked in the locker room and vomited on it," Childress later said about Moss. So, scratch the Browns off the list.
RAVENS: Baltimore needs a No. 3 receiver behind Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith, so the Ravens could be among the teams linked to Moss. I just don't see him adding anything to the Ravens. His strength is stretching the field. The Ravens, though, already have a younger and faster version of that in Smith. Baltimore has tried going with a declining veteran to fill the No. 3 spot before with T.J. Houshmandzadeh in 2010 and Lee Evans in 2011. Both failed miserably. The Ravens should learn from their mistakes.
STEELERS: The Steelers already have their hands full in deciding what to do with one veteran wide receiver, (Hines Ward). Bringing in Moss makes no sense. Pittsburgh is the one team in the division that is set with its top three wide receivers: Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders. There's a higher chance of the Steelers signing Jerricho Cotchery than Moss.