Terrell Owens a Perfect Fit for Cincinnati Bengals

With Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco now in their 30s, the timetable for the Cincinnati Bengals to make a Super Bowl run is getting slimmer by the minute. If the Bengals have any inclination of making a postseason run in 2011 they need to make a move and do it quick. Here is a fast and simple solution.  Sign TO.  

The Baltimore Ravens just traded for Anquan Boldin bolstering an up and coming offense that is certain to improve in 2010. The Bengals offense needs more help at wide receiver than any other position and signing Terrell Owens to a one-year contract is a move that poses minimal risk, but could offer immense reward.  

While Terrell Owens has been known to be a cancer in the clubhouse, the fact is the guy can still play. With veteran leadership like Bobbie Wiliams, Reggie Kelly, and Dhani Jones, the Bengals have a solid core group of guys who will put TO in his place if he decides to open his mouth.

Allowing Owens to join forces with best buddy Ochocinco will form one of the best wide receiver tandems in the NFL. While he is 36 years old, there are still a few good years left for Owens.  

Some may say draft a receiver with a first or second round pick. That sounds like a great idea, but the fact is if the Bengals draft a wide receiver, the production he puts up in 2010 and even 2011 will be nowhere near what the Bengals need to compete for another AFC North Title and nowhere near to what Owens can give them.

For the Bengals signing Owens would allow them the opportunity to spend a first round pick on a tight end such as Jermaine Gresham out of Oklahoma. A second rounder could then be used on a wideout. History has shown that the Bengals have had much more success drafting wide receivers after the first round (see Chris Collinsworth, Carl Pickens, Darnay Scott, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, and Chad Ochocinco).  

Plugging Owens in opposite Ochocinco would allow the Bengals to develop whomever they draft a receiver without expecting too much from him early on.  

While some may say signing TO is somewhat of a risk, he is clearly a safer bet than say Brandon Marshall. Marshall will command a multi-year deal and will want upwards of 60 millions dollars. With his history and track record, the risk may not be worth the reward and after all, are the Bengals willing to dish out that kind of cash anyway.  

Owens on the other hand could be signed to a one-year, $5 million deal. The Bengals have been known to sign players who some may call troublemakers. Most recently they took a flyer on Cedric Benson. Look how that has turned out. It's time to take another one and sign Owens.    

My message to the Bengals is this.  Don't waste any more time. Sign Terrell Owens, give him No. 81 and change his name to Ochouno. Go into next season with Ochocinco and Ochouno, two future Hall of Famers spread out wide and I guarantee 2010 will be a season the Jungle has never seen before.