2010 Journeyman Update: Why Terrell Owens Remains Homeless

Obviously he is getting older, and clearly he is shaving to hide a balding head (please tell me that isn't why he is unemployed; that could be bad news for me), but Terrell Owens has to still have some value.

I mean after all, he's T.O., right?

We're talking about the guy who invented the "drama queen" wide-receiver stereotype, and has, up until now, managed to discover a never ending line of teams willing to take a chance on him.

It has been reported that Owens is looking for a contract in the range of $5 million for his services next year...which certainly isn't a price to scoff at.

I would point out that guys like Larry Fitzgerald and Brandon Marshall are making twice as much.

Can we really dismiss Owens' dismal performance last year as a signal of the decline of his talents? That was probably part of it, but can you name the quarterbacks who were throwing to him last year?

I mean, Lee Evans also put up horrible numbers last year, and he is a good deal younger than Owens; perhaps the humanity has finally come out. It looks like Owens is only good with a decent quarterback around.

So why, when so many team could use the services of this guy (at least for one, uncapped year), is no one after him?

Are you listening Seattle, Chicago, Tampa Bay (a team without hope), New York (Giants), Denver (a team that has just dumped two young pro bowlers in the prime of their careers), Cleveland, Pittsburgh, St. Louis (With Bradford?), Kansas City, Oakland (I think T.O. would veto this), and my personal favorite, Washington (Just see McNabb, T.O., and throw in a Westbrook for fun reminiscing)?

OK, I lied, Minnesota would be my personal favorite destination for the guy.

The point is there are more teams out there who need a big play receiver than big play receivers in the draft.  So whats the hold up?

Is everyone planning on moving up to draft Dez Bryant? This class isn't 10 teams deep in superstar receivers.

Owens still has something left in the tank. I refuse to believe he is a complete loss to the league now, though I will admit, he isn't the T.O. from five-plus years ago.

Where is this year's suitor?

The only thing I can think is that the price on Owens is believed to be too high, and that after the draft, teams expect it to go down.

Or...

None of these teams think their quarterbacks are better than Trent Edwards/Ryan Fitzpatrick/Brian Brohm.

I'm going to lean toward the former.

In one of the wildest offseasons of recent memory, it is certainly surprising that a name as big as T.O. would remain floating around out there all the way up to the draft.  I certainly wouldn't mind pairing him with a great quarterback.

But for this unsurprising journeyman collecting unemployment for a surprisingly long time, expect a new contract within the next two weeks.

If nothing else, his name sells tickets.