Five Reasons Terrell Owens Will Not Be Back in Dallas

There have been rumblings among some Cowboys fans about the possible return of Terrell Owens to Dallas. Like every team for which Owens has played, Cowboys fans seem to be split 50-50 on his worth to the team.

We are about the biggest Owens supporters you will find, but in this post, we will detail five reasons why Owens won’t (and shouldn’t) rejoin the Dallas Cowboys.

First, though, let’s talk about a few of the positives of Owens wearing the blue and silver once again.

Pros

1. Owens Practices Harder Than Anyone

A lot of times Owens' name gets grouped with guys like Randy Moss and Chad Ochocinco, but that really is unfair to Owens. Unlike those players, Owens brings 100 percent to practice each and every day. He consistently prepares himself as well as anyone in the league, year in and year out.

Not only is Owens' on-field behavior and production a template for the younger receivers to follow, but his work ethic also allows the Cowboys defensive backs to go against the best every day in practice. Don’t short-change Owens' involvement in Dallas as a major factor in the success of the Cowboys cornerbacks in 2009.

2. Despite a Down Year in Buffalo, It Is Evident Owens Still Has Something Left

We recently spent some time looking at a few of the Bills’ late-season games in '09. While Owens is obviously not what he was at age 28, he certainly can still play the game. His speed is still very much apparent. It would be very difficult for teams to try to take away both him and Austin deep, cover Witten underneath, and still stop the run game.

3. Owens Would Likely Draw a Lot of Single Coverage with Austin and Witten Receiving a Lot of Attention

Make no mistake about it—Miles Austin is the Cowboys’ No. 1 wide receiver. Defenses will surely look to take him and Witten out of a game first next season, with or without the addition of Owens. Having said that, Owens would benefit from single coverage which he very rarely saw during his first stint in Dallas.

Cons

1. Owens Is Unlikely To Embrace a Role as the Third Receiving Option on Offense

For the above reasons, Owens’ return to Dallas looks good on paper. In reality, however, there is just no way Owens is going to accept a role as the Cowboys’ third receiving option (and probably fourth option overall). If Owens complained about not getting the ball enough when he was double-covered in Dallas, imagine how unhappy he will be if he does not get the ball when he is truly open.

2. Bringing Back Owens Would Stunt the Growth of Kevin Ogletree

The Cowboys want to get Ogletree more involved in 2010. There are even rumors that he could push Roy Williams for a starting spot in training camp.

Ogletree’s playing time would become all but non-existent, though, if Owens returned to the ‘Boys. Even if Williams got cut, Crayton would likely remain in the slot, meaning Ogletree would be just a backup to the X and Z receivers.

3. The Cowboys Would Be Unlikely To Draft a Young Wide Receiver Due to a Lack of Roster Space

A lot of you are clamoring for the Cowboys to select a young wide receiver to groom as the eventual replacement for Roy Williams. While we still see an early-round selection of a wide receiver as unlikely (unless he is a return man), the Cowboys simply would not have the roster space to hold their current receivers, Owens, and a rookie.

4. Jerry Jones Will Not Cut Roy Williams, Meaning Dallas’ Top Three Wide Receivers Would Not Play Special Teams

Even if Owens came back to town, it is unlikely Jerry Jones would give up on Williams. He doesn’t want to admit he made a mistake on Williams, and in all fairness Roy has just one full season in Dallas under his belt.

Williams, as the third receiver, would not play special teams. This would create a problem, particularly if David Buehler does not win the placekicking job and the team has to use two roster spots on kickers.

5. Jerry Jones Won’t Bring Back a Player He Cut Immediately after Claiming the Cowboys Were Searching for a “Romo-Friendly” Offense

The reason Jones released Owens was not because of his on-field play, but because of the perceived locker room turmoil which Owens was thought to have created. Why in the world would the Cowboys bring back a player they deemed to be the cause of the team’s lack of chemistry, particularly after winning their first playoff game in over a decade?

Conclusion

Owens is not coming back to Dallas. Despite the potential benefits, his return would create more problems than it would fix. Topping that list of problems is the fact that Owens will not embrace being a role player and Jerry Jones will not disrupt his quest to create a “Romo-friendly” offense.

Despite this, we still suggest to all Cowboys fans, “Getcha popcorn ready!”

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