Card: Playoff Contenders 2005
Acquired: 5/11/12, Target Autograph Memorabilia
See Also: Moats, Ryan

Really nice card and presentation by Playoff here on the Moats card. I wasn’t too impressed with their last entry of his, but this one really is framed well and also has a great look and design too. The Contenders cards really had an original look to them, and practiced really concise, proper typography. It’s clean and for the most part, very easy to read.

Ryan Moats was drafted by the Eagles, in 2005 but stacked at runningback he didn’t see much playing time initially behind encumbant Brian Westbrook. Although he’d see limited playing time in 2006, an injury forced him completely out of the 2007 season. Unable to crack the lineup by 2008, Ryan was released in final cuts. Moats signed and was cut by the Cardinals to their practice squad.

He’d go onto greater glory playing for the Texans, who at the time were having a difficult time at runningback with injuries to Steve Slaton and Ahman Green, and fumbles limiting Chris Brown‘s effectiveness. The team turned to Moats, and he responded leading the charge at runningback splitting time with Slaton and Brown throughout 2009 season until the emergence of Arian Foster. He’d be cut during 2010 and find a home with the Vikings.

In 2011, the UFL announced their ‘protected player list’- (which amounts to a supplemental draft of veterans from the NFL who were cut from squads that the clubs want).  Moats was among the names selected by the Omaha Nighthawks, but Ryan elected not to play in the young league.