At least one member of the Bears isn't all that enthusiastic about the possibility of former Minnesota Vikings wideout Randy Moss coming to Chicago.
"This is a big deal because Randy Moss is a big talent, and now any team can pick him up," Bears linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa said on ESPN 1000's "Football Night in Chicago."
"I don't know if it's something that we need, but good luck to Randy Moss."
The Bears currently sit at No. 17 on the waiver list -- meaning 16 other teams would have to pass on Moss in order for the Bears to claim him off waivers. The Minnesota Vikings officially parted ways with the mercurial receiver on Tuesday, putting him on waivers just weeks after acquiring him from the New England Patriots for a third-round pick.
Historically the Bears have shied away from talented players who may be detrimental to the team's chemistry -- the Bears were one of 19 teams to pass on Moss when he was considered one of the elite prospects in the 1998 NFL draft. Tinoisamoa believes that will continue to be the case with Moss this time around.
"I think [head coach Lovie Smith] has done a good job with not letting the players be a distraction. Yeah. I think he's done a great job with that. I don't think anybody likes distractions period. ... Focus is so critical and Lovie does a good job with that. He treats us like men. It's not like we have bed checks. ... He does a good job, but we're speaking so much on focus and distraction. That's why it might not be the best thing for Randy Moss to come out to Chicago. Just because he carries so much. We've got our own issues that we need to go on and address."
The Bears coaches and management spent much of training camp -- and even the early weeks of the season -- praising the team's young wide receiving corps. Their growth appears to have been stunted by an offensive line that has allowed 23 sacks of the team's past four games.
Still, Tinoisamoa said that adding Moss might send the wrong message to the Bears' current receivers.
"I'd be stunned [if the Bears added Moss]," Tinoisamoa said. "First of all, I feel we have such great talent here. ... We've got great talented receivers here, so I'd rather stick with that. I don't want to mess with that dynamic."