If people could separate the player from the person, it'd be easier to appreciate Moss' place in history. Even in an era in which passing records seem to fall every season and several receivers are on their way toward surpassing the numbers of past generations, Moss stands above the rest. Check out his numbers through seven years, compared to today's most productive receivers:

Although Terrell Owens claims he's as good as Moss, the numbers don't support that argument. The player closest to Moss' overall production is Torry Holt. But Holt doesn't get into the end zone like Moss does. In fact, no one catches touchdowns like Moss. The all-time record-holder, Rice, caught 197 in 20 years. Moss is almost halfway there in seven years -- good enough to make him eighth on the all-time list.

Any argument about a receiver's merit has to include a look at the system in which he played. Rice was part of one of the most prolific attacks in NFL history, which contributed to his success because opposing defenses had other things to worry about. The other side of that coin is that Rice had to share the ball with players such as John Taylor, Roger Craig and Owens.

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It's also worth noting that as a rookie, Rice joined an offensive juggernaut that was coming off a steamrolling of Miami in Super Bowl XIX. Conversely, Moss' presence on offense made an immediate impact: Dennis Green's Vikes set a league record by scoring 556 points in Moss' rookie season, an eye-popping 202 more than they did the previous year.

Despite some of the negative comments from Daunte Culpepper about Moss this offseason, there's no better friend to a quarterback than No. 18 (Moss switched his jersey number because Jerry Porter has No. 84 in Oakland). Both Randall Cunningham and Jeff George experienced miraculous comebacks with the Vikings, and Culpepper wasn't the same QB last season after Moss got hurt in Week 7.

If you throw the numbers out and just go by what you see on the field, Moss has to be considered the best WR today. He's big and physical, like Owens, but has speed closer to a Marvin Harrison or Holt. No one can catch the deep ball like Moss, and he's as good in a crowd as anyone in history -- especially if the ball is up in the air.

When draft experts looked at the Vikings' No. 7 spot and talked about finding Moss' replacement, they were kidding themselves. There isn't another receiver who can do the things Moss can. There may be a couple of young guys with that kind of speed and size -- Detroit's Roy Williams, Houston's Andre Johnson, maybe rookies Braylon Edwards (Cleveland) or Troy Williamson (Minnesota) -- but those measurements don't translate to playmaking ability.

There are plenty of questions about Moss' future. Can he remain focused and thrive in Oakland? Was last season the beginning of a series of injuries? What will he do next to get in trouble off the field?

It's not always easy, but let's take a positive spin on Moss and assume the rest of his career will be fruitful. Twenty years after he retires, no one's going to remember the unpleasant details -- the chaotic college days, the failed drug tests, the arrest, the rude comments. All that will remain are the numbers and the highlights. And those are going to be pretty good. Maybe the best of all time.