Cincinnati Bengals Sign Terrell Owens: Five People With the Most To Lose
As if the Terrell Owens talk isn’t already over the top for a player who’s questionably over the hill, now the talk roars even louder than before.
But all the talk up to now was simply pretense. This is where the important stuff starts to kick in.
This is where his impact on the field—and more importantly, in the locker room—come into play.
Some say there's reason to believe that Owens will be a fit in Cincinnati. Owens' reputation precedes him, though, and that has some fans and critics concerned for Cincinnati's chemistry.
The Bengals are in contention for one of the six AFC playoff spots, so with an addition like Owens, there's a lot to be gained, but an awful lot to lose.
So who has the most to lose with Owens now calling Cincinnati home?
Jermaine Gresham
1 of 5
The outlook wasn’t good to begin with for Cincinnati’s first-round pick Jermaine Gresham.
Coming off an injury that kept him out most of 2009, Gresham joins a Bengals team that doesn’t utilize its tight ends very frequently. Now, with the acquisition of Owens, the attention may be diverted more to the perimeter of the field than ever before in Cincinnati.
One year may not kill all hope for Gresham, but the Bengals are toying with the idea of him becoming a first-round bust sooner than later.
Cedric Benson
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Benson’s breakout campaign in 2009 gave him my completely unofficial and utterly meaningless vote for Comeback Player of the Year—yes, even over Tom Brady.
With so much power in the passing game now, and with not one but two attention-hungry diva superstars, how quickly will the running game be abandoned once again in Cincinnati?
Let’s hope head coach Marvin Lewis knows enough to stick with what worked for the Bengals last year. If not, things could get ugly fast.
Antonio Bryant
3 of 5
When Bryant was brought to Cincinnati in free agency, it was thought that he would play as Ochocinco’s numero dos. Bringing in Owens, though, has to be a slight indictment of Bryant.
He may split receptions with Owens, but may find himself a third option, but he now also fights for time with Andre Caldwell.
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Marv Lewis
4 of 5
T.O. and Ochocinco are friends; however, if there’s a riff between the two in any way, Marv Lewis will be the one who suffers for it.
It's up to the coaching staff to help maintain chemistry in the locker room by keeping things under control.
If the locker room spirals out of control because Owens and Ochocinco couldn’t cooperate on the field as well as they do off it, Lewis will be charged with the chore of cleaning up the mess.
Chad Ochocinco
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Most receivers would love to have a talented receiver to play by their side, to divert some of the defense’s attention away from them.
The defense’s attention isn’t the only kind of attention Ochocinco is worried about, though.
Without TJ Houshmandzadeh last year, it was all about Ochocinco. Now, he has to go back to sharing the limelight, this time, with someone who loves the attention almost as much as him.
The popular argument the other way has been that he and Owens are friends off the field. Pardon my cynicism, but this reminds me of two good friends deciding it's a great idea to be roommates, only to watch their friendship dissolve in the following year.
Owens and Ochocinco may be guest stars on each other’s reality TV show, but there’s only one show on Sundays. Whose will it be?
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