Phil Sheridan: Eagles should pass on diva wide receivers

Today's lesson in the business of sports comes to us courtesy of NFL wide receivers - past and present, and (maybe) future.

Let's start with the big, fun question that has many Eagles fans talking: Should the team sign Randy Moss, who announced he will attempt to return to the league after a Brett Favre-retirement kept him out of the game in 2011?

No.

That was easy. The Eagles don't want or need the distractions that come with Moss or Terrell Owens, who also is trying to come back after irritating everyone who has ever had to deal with him. Their post-Super Bowl 2005 season was ruined by Owens, so that should have taught the Eagles all they need to know. If not, DeSean Jackson's pouting last season was a pretty good refresher. Even if the Eagles bear much responsibility for that situation's turning sour, there's no need for them to open a fresh can of Prima Donna at the wide receiver position.

If Jackson had any thoughts about following Owens' lead in contract matters, this is the perfect time to reconsider that strategy. The reason Owens is trying so hard to find another football job is that, by his own admission, he is broke.

Yes, the man whose publicist infamously and insensitively said had "25 million reasons to live" after a mishap with some pills landed him in the hospital now has zero millions. There is no publicist saying stupid things for him now, because Owens can't afford one.

On the surface, Jackson was right to be unhappy with his contract, which paid him a fraction of what receivers with a fraction of his abilities were earning. But under the surface were indications that Jackson also has been living well beyond his means for some time. He has tweeted images of outlandish bar tabs, and there have been reports that he has borrowed against future earnings from agent Drew Rosenhaus.

So Jackson may benefit from taking a hard look at Owens. Or Allen Iverson. Or Lenny Dykstra. There are too many ex-players out there who managed to squander sums of money that most of us would need a lottery ticket to get our hands on. It is now, before he signs that all-important next contract, that Jackson needs to learn this lesson.

Fingers crossed, but not too hard.

Moss hasn't said anything about needing the money as he attempts to return. But he is 35 and didn't exactly seem interested in playing football during the last few years he was paid to do it. So it's a reasonable guess that he wouldn't be attempting this comeback if he were financially secure.