Randy Moss has 90 TDs in his seven-year career. Damian Strohmeyer/SI

Randy Moss may go down in history as the greatest wide receiver ever to play in the NFL.

Looks funny in print, eh? Kind of makes your skin crawl. And yes, it is a very premature statement. But there's reason to be scared, because someday it might be true.

Right now, the title of best receiver of all time belongs to Jerry Rice. The receivers section of the NFL record book is an homage to him. You could argue Packers legend Don Hutson was more dominant in his era, but he played in the 1930s and '40s, when receivers had less impact on the game.

Early in Moss' career, he and Rice often were mentioned in the same breath. The league never had seen a display by a rookie receiver like the season Moss put together in '98. He caught 69 passes for 1,313 yards, with a league-high 17 touchdowns -- many of which were spectacular.

But the last few years haven't been kind to Moss' reputation. In addition to plenty of off-the-field problems, Moss said in 2001 that he took some plays off, and his status in the public's eye plummeted. Since that time, the Vikings have fallen from an elite team to a middle-of-the-road one.

When you look at the numbers, however, Moss really hasn't fallen at all. When healthy (he battled a hamstring injury last season), Moss has maintained a statistical level of excellence that is rivaled only by Rice. Moss joins the Raiders for his eighth NFL season with 9,142 receiving yards and 90 TDs, nearly identical to Rice's 9,072 receiving yards and 93 TDs at that point in his career.

But even if Moss sustains that production, there are a few reasons most observers never will declare he is better. First, Rice's Super Bowl performances are in a class by themselves. He captured the MVP in Super Bowl XXIV and was equally brilliant for the Niners in two other Super Bowls. Moss' Vikings fell short of the Super Bowl in '98 and never came close again. And even with Moss aboard, the Raiders don't appear destined to play in the big game any soon.

Secondly, Rice (who we're assuming will retire this offseason) maintained a Hank Aaron-like consistency deep into his career, in large part because of his fitness and ability to avoid serious injuries. Can you see Moss playing into his 40s? Although Moss is a workout freak, he doesn't seem to have that kind of passion.

In the end, the biggest reason Moss will never rival Rice in most experts' eyes is the character issue. In addition to Moss' legal troubles, there isn't a reporter who has covered him, nor a team or league official who has been around him, who doesn't have at least one story about how antisocial Moss can be.

But history's not going to care about Moss' antics. After all the reporters who dislike him (they do, even if they won't admit it) leave the business, all that will remain is the record book and the NFL Films highlights, where Moss does things no other receiver can dream of.