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Suzy and Adam talk to Robert Mathis about his impending free agency, Caveman runs down the top wide receivers on the market, and the 32 crew debates if Randy Moss is a fit for the 49ers.

As far as I'm concerned, Cris Carter has always been a knowledgeable and honest source of analysis on Randy Moss, his one-time teammate and protégé when both played for the Minnesota Vikings. And once again, I think Carter nailed his take on Moss' plans to return to the NFL in 2012.

Appearing Tuesday morning on ESPN Radio's "Mike & Mike in the Morning," Carter predicted that Moss would be "in fabulous shape" after a full offseason of training and reiterated his suggestion that Moss could still run the 40-yard dash in less than 4.4 seconds. But Carter accurately identified an important issue NFL teams will need to address before seriously considering his acquisition.

"The one thing you have to address with Randy Moss is not a conditioning thing," Carter said. "It's not an age thing. It needs to be addressed. I believe it's the elephant in the room. It's that thing called quit.

"And Randy, not like any other superstar I've met, he has more quit in him than any of those other players. So I need to addresses that. That's what [New England Patriots coach Bill] Belichick did when he brought him over from Oakland. He told him he wasn't going to have it.

"But Randy, when things don't go well, like no other player I've ever been around or associated with, he has a quit mechanism in him that's huge. That needs to be addressed before he signs with any team."

Tuesday morning, Moss used his new verified Twitter account to send what appeared to be a response to Carter's twitter account. Although he did not specifically reference Carter's comments, Moss tweeted: "its sad how u stroked ur own ego when u were suppose to b my mentor!then u wonder why karma bites u in the [expletive]! #goodlukwhof"

Ouch. I can tell you from experience that Moss is a first-class hurler of insults. He knows what gets at people, and it's probably safe to assume that Carter's annual exclusion from the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a sensitive subject. It's also an unfair shot. There is no disputing that Moss has quit at various points in his career, while it's hard to connect Carter's past attempts to take credit for Moss' success as a reason he hasn't been elected to the Hall of Fame.

Moss later tweeted: "Cc no matter I still luv u bruh," but I think we all know how damaging the "quitting" issue will be as Moss sells himself to NFL teams this offseason. At his best, Moss is one of the best receivers in the history of the game, one who would be able to play at a high level even if he has lost a step or two. But at his worst, he is a 35-year-old receiver who is two years removed from his last productive season, one who carries the baggage of four messy departures from three different franchises and whose desire and effort continue to be a matter of public discussion. Stay tuned.

Randy Moss' 35th birthday present to himself was to announce he wants to come back to the NFL after taking last season off.

Moss' planned return has been the buzz of a slow February Monday. We will look if he fits with any team in the AFC West (I’ve received many questions about the idea Monday). Really, I don’t think there will be a push for Moss by any team in the division. He is declining and, remember, everyone had a crack at Moss two years ago. Why would there be a sudden interest now that he is 35 and rusty?

But let’s take a gander, anyway:

Denver: Can you see Tim Tebow and Moss being a good fit together? Neither can I.

Kansas City: Moss has a connection with Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli and quarterback Matt Cassel. Still, Pioli has passed on reuniting with Moss in the past. Maybe if Dwayne Bowe leaves Pioli would change his mind. Moss had a reputation for being a poor influence on young receivers. It probably wouldn’t be a good idea putting him with Jonathan Baldwin.

Oakland: Oakland needs to concentrate on developing its slew of young receiver talent. I can’t see the Raiders’ new leadership thinking bringing in Moss would be a good idea.

San Diego: Moss is not an A.J. Smith type of player, and the Moss-Norv Turner relationship wasn’t overly successful in Oakland in 2005. Maybe if Vincent Jackson leaves the Chargers would think about Moss. Still, I think San Diego would consider other options first.

Future Hall of Fame receiver Randy Moss says he wants to return to football in 2012. Moss is one of the most dynamic receivers of all time, and if he’s in shape, someone will give him a shot.

Would he be a fit in the AFC East? Let's examine.

Buffalo Bills

Skinny: The Bills could have a need at receiver, especially if pending free agent Steve Johnson is too expensive to re-sign. The Bills have been unafraid to take chances with controversial receivers in the past. Buffalo signed Terrell Owens for one year when Owens was released by the Dallas Cowboys. Could Moss be next?

Chances: Mild

Miami Dolphins

Skinny: Miami is undergoing a lot of changes with a new head coach in Joe Philbin, a new West Coast offense, and most likely a new quarterback. Bringing in a player like Moss could be too much of a distraction for a rookie coach trying to establish a new program.

Chances: None

New England Patriots

Skinny: The Patriots tried the Moss experiment before, and it was mostly successful. New England will be searching for a deep threat this offseason. The Patriots would love to have the 2007 version of Moss. That same level of interest in the 2012 version isn't as high, but you can't completely rule it out.

Chances: Medium

New York Jets

Skinny: The Jets need a replacement for pending free-agent receiver Plaxico Burress, but Moss isn't the answer. New York has enough chemistry issues in its locker room as it is, especially on offense. The structure isn't in place for the Jets to take on an extra personality like Moss.

Chances: Low

There are some necessary ingredients for a team even to consider signing receiver Randy Moss in 2012. It needs a strong and established coaching staff. A rifle-armed quarterback, with experience in handling high-maintenance receivers, is a must. And it needs a personal advocate who knows Moss, understands him and can serve as an internal facilitator/translator.

There is an NFC North team that fits every aspect of that description, and the minimal chances of a deal highlights how difficult it will be for Moss to get a job for 2012, as he said Monday he wants to do. And that assumes Moss, now 35, can still play at a reasonably high level.

Lovie Smith is one of the NFL's longest-tenured coaches and his locker rooms rarely, if ever, display the type of discord Moss has caused in his various stops. Quarterback Jay Cutler throws one of the NFL's best deep balls, and his longstanding friendship with receiver Brandon Marshall is an example of his social flexibility.

And offensive coordinator Mike Tice was Moss' coach for three seasons when both were with the Minnesota Vikings. Tice lived through the best and worst Moss has to offer, coaxing 217 receptions and 24 touchdowns in their first two seasons together while also dealing with Moss' arrest for nudging a traffic officer with his car and his decision to leave the field early in the 2004 regular-season finale, among other episodes.

So in the Bears, you have a team with an established head coach, a quarterback who could handle Moss on the field and off, a longtime connection in Tice and a clear need for a downfield receiver. So are the Bears a front-runner for Moss' services?

Here's what I know: The same reasons that make Chicago a logical landing point also suggest the Bears won't pursue him.

One of the reasons Smith's locker rooms have been peaceful is the type of people he has brought into it. You don't have to worry about Brian Urlacher loafing on a play or Olin Kreutz insulting his teammates or Lance Briggs publicly questioning coaching decisions.

Cutler's connection with Marshall is based in part on the receiver's well-known work ethic. Marshall has demonstrated some unstable personality traits, but his effort on the field has never been questioned. A quarterback can count on Marshall doing his best.

And it's only fair to point out that Tice shed no public tears when the Vikings traded Moss to the Oakland Raiders in April 2005. Too much of Tice's tenure had been devoted to Moss and his ancillary issues.

In short, the Bears are in a good position to understand what Moss is --and what he probably isn't. For lack of a better term, Moss has been a pathological contrarian for his entire NFL career. He has undermined every coach he's played for, and to think otherwise now would be to suggest he has made a 180-degree personality change.

And as Cutler and anyone else associated with the Bears could attest by turning on film, Moss took an obvious back step on the field in 2010 and was a shell of his former self. Defenses still devoted extra attention to him, but that attribute wasn't enough for three different teams to give up on him that season.

In most situations, the Moss-Bears connection would make a whole lot of sense. But this is an entirely unique scenario. Moss is one of a kind. And if it doesn't make sense for the Bears, who would it make sense for?

Yeah, I saw the story that Randy Moss wants to come out of retirement and play in the NFL again in 2012. And yeah, it's the offseason, so my first reaction was to do a post about whether he'd make sense for any of the teams in the NFC East. I'm not proud. It's content. It's a big name. It hits all four teams. And hey, you're reading it.

However, before we go any further, I must make one thing clear: I do not believe Randy Moss will ever play in the NFL again. The guy washed out with three different teams in 2010, couldn't find a job in 2011 and now, at the age of 35 and in a free-agent market flooded with good wide receivers in their primes, he thinks a team is going to take a chance on him? Agree to disagree, Randy. Agree to disagree.

That said, I have (as many of you are fond of pointing out) been wrong before. And so, if by some chance Moss can prove he still has enough speed to be a legitimate deep threat -- to get separation from defensive backs and perform as a difference-making downfield option for an offense, as he could not do in 2010 for three different teams -- would he make any sense in our division? My team-by-team ultra-fantastical hypothetical answers follow.

Dallas Cowboys: No. Not even a little. The Cowboys need a No. 3, first of all, and that's only if they let Laurent Robinson walk. If Dez Bryant and Miles Austin are healthy, Moss is an upgrade over neither one. And do you really want him around Bryant? No.

New York Giants: No. Not even a little. Go back and read the Cowboys answer and replace "Laurent Robinson" with "Mario Manningham" and replace "Dez Bryant and Miles Austin" with "Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz." No. Not a Giants kind of thing to do, this.

Philadelphia Eagles: Interesting, but only if they decide to move on from DeSean Jackson, as I believe they might. If Moss shows the deep-threat ability that made him such a weapon with Minnesota and New England at various points in his career, and if Jackson is out of the picture, the must-win-now-or-everyone's-getting-fired Eagles wouldn't be a ridiculous landing spot. Again, lot of "if"s, but don't be surprised to see this connection made again if Jackson isn't back.

Washington Redskins: The 2007-09 version of Moss is exactly what the Redskins need. But (a) this is the 2012 version, and (b) Moss doesn't respond well to being in losing environments. Even if he could flash that 07-09 form, the Redskins would have to be a lot more set at quarterback and offensive line than they are right now. And the quarterback would have to be a veteran like Peyton Manning or Kyle Orton and not a rookie or first-time starter like Robert Griffin III or Matt Flynn.

Wide receiver Randy Moss, who sat out last season, celebrated his 35th birthday Monday by saying he wants to play in the NFL in 2012.

Could he land in the NFC South?

It’s probably a long shot, but I wouldn’t say it’s completely out of the question. Let’s take a look at the possibilities.

Saints. It is possible the Saints could lose top receiver Marques Colston in free agency. If that happens, Moss could be a consideration. Of all the teams in the division, the Saints have shown a willingness to bring in veteran guys. At various times in his career, Moss has been viewed as a locker-room distraction. But that wouldn’t be a huge concern in New Orleans because quarterback Drew Brees runs that locker room with a firm hand and no one challenges him.

Falcons. Atlanta could lose third receiver Harry Douglas in free agency. That would leave the Falcons with a need to get someone to complement Roddy White and Julio Jones. The Falcons clearly are in a win-now mode. This is the kind of move I could not have seen them considering a couple of years ago, but it’s a different time for the Falcons.

Panthers. General manager Marty Hurney generally isn’t the type of guy who goes out and signs 35-year-old receivers with some baggage. But the Panthers are clearly trying to give franchise quarterback Cam Newton as many weapons as possible. I doubt Moss is the top priority and the Panthers do have some hope that Brandon LaFell will blossom in his third season and David Gettis will come back strong from an injury. Look for the Panthers to add a receiver in the draft or free agency. But, if they can’t find what they want and Moss remains available in the late spring or summer, he could become a possibility to complement Steve Smith.

Buccaneers. A 35-year-old receiver doesn’t fit Tampa Bay’s youth movement. Moss also doesn’t seem like the kind of guy new coach Greg Schiano would want as he tries to clean up a locker room that has had some issues and needs stronger leadership. But the Tampa Bay receivers struggled to get separation last season. Stretching the field is one thing Moss always has been able to do.

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.