NFL Free Agency Rumors: Setting the Odds for Terrell Owens' Potential Suitors
The Cincinnati Bengals were one of the biggest surprises in 2009 after sweeping the AFC North division.
When they signed Terrell Owens, one of the most prolific wide receivers in the history of football, many thought they would repeat.
Instead, no team in the NFL may have been a bigger disappointment than the Cincinnati Bengals in 2010. They failed to reach their potential week after week and finished the season with a 4-12 record.
Yet the only bright spot on the team, surprisingly, was their newly acquired veteran Owens. He rarely failed to show up in each and every game, and finished the season on IR due to a knee injury.
Still, he was fantastic for the Bengals.
He caught at least six passes in six games, including two separate occasions when he recorded 10 receptions.
He posted three games with at least 100 yards, including one monstrous game with 222 yards against the Cleveland Browns.
He scored nine touchdowns in a nine-week period, including seven touchdowns in five consecutive games.
He finished his one-year tenure in Cincinnati with 72 receptions for 983 yards and nine touchdowns.
Thus far in his luxurious career, he’s amassed 1,078 receptions for 15,934 yards and 153 touchdowns in 219 games.
Once again, though, T.O. has burned another bridge and he is searching for a new path to travel to find another welcoming home.
Clearly, he still has a lot left in the tank and can be a vital asset to a team on the verge of winning.
As teams look to win a Championship, or, at the very least, make a splash around the league, here are the odds for the top teams to land Terrell Owens.
15. Green Bay Packers
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Really? The defending Super Bowl Champs?
Yes sir.
There are only a few environments better than Green Bay for Owens to join.
He’d have the itch to help this team win another Championship.
He’d play with the best quarterback in Aaron Rodgers, who is proving that he is also a great leader.
T.O. would be the No. 2 as Greg Jennings is the No. 1, but would once again have a fantastic season, except on a winning team in 2011.
He would be able to put up his stats and win games, the best of both worlds.
Odds: 40:1
14. Atlanta Falcons
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The Falcons dominated the NFC but met their match in the NFC Divisional round when they went up against the juggernaut known as the Green Bay Packers.
The Falcons are truly on the verge of winning a Championship with a great veteran offense and solid defense.
The biggest knock on the Falcons, though, is the lack of receiving depth after superstar Roddy White.
White and quarterback Matt Ryan have one of the best connections in football right now, but teams have no reason to fear any other receiver on the team except for Tony Gonzalez and White.
Owens would add a completely new dynamic to the offense.
T.O., Roddy and Tony lining up would cause Matt Ryan to salivate prior to each and every passing play.
Odds: 35:1
13. Washington Redskins
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The Redskins are clearly in rebuilding mode, but they still need a main attraction.
Right now, they simply don’t have it and will look towards the draft to make a splash.
When was Daniel Snyder ever an owner to sit back and let everyone else throw money around? He never was, because he’s the one usually throwing around the most money.
Santana Moss says his preferred choice is the Redskins, but could still be gone via free agency. If he leaves, the Redskins would need a receiver perhaps more than any other team in the league.
Owens may be willing to join the ‘Skins just to show up against the Eagles twice in 2011.
Owens may only be looking at a few teams trying to acquire his services and could be forced to sign with this below average team.
Of course, this could all be for naught if Donovan McNabb is still with the team.
Then, the Redskins wouldn’t want to upset the veteran quarterback they benched, signed to an extension and then benched again… would they?
Odds: 25:1
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12. Arizona Cardinals
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Larry Fitzgerald produced as much as he could in 2010, beginning the year with a minor knee injury, a host of terrible quarterbacks and the lack of a supporting cast at the skill positions.
The Cardinals actually have a very good team, on paper, in my opinion.
The defense is solid and the offense has a ton of potential.
Still, Fitz can’t do it all by himself. He desperately needs a better quarterback but also needs another running mate.
I highly doubt No. 2 receiver Steve Breaston will be back with the team, leaving Fitz as the only proven veteran on the squad.
He was excellent when he had Anquan Boldin on the other side of the field.
T.O. and Boldin play a fairly similar game, as they are two of the toughest and most physical receivers in the game.
In the wide open NFC West, T.O. and Fitz could join forces and dominate… as long as they have a quarterback to throw the rock to them.
Odds: 25:1
11. Seattle Seahawks
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The Seahawks beat the St. Louis Rams in the regular season finale to win the NFC West in what could have only been described as a playoff atmosphere.
Pete Carroll never allowed his Seahawks to second guess themselves and managed to defeat the defending Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints in one of the biggest NFL playoff upsets in history.
The NFC West is still wide open and the addition of Terrell Owens to “Big” Mike Williams and tight end John Carlson would help solidify their chances of repeating as division winners.
Whoever Carroll decides to start at quarterback, Matt Hasselbeck (if he returns) or Charlie Whitehurst, either would have two monster targets to choose from.
T.O. would add a playmaker to this offense they have not seen in years, despite his age.
Owens is still physically dominant and would be the team’s best receiver hands down.
Odds: 20:1
10. San Diego Chargers
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The Chargers, each year, seem to be on the brink of winning a Championship.
Special teams really let this team down last season.
Philip Rivers did everything he could to will this team to the playoffs, but they fell short due to early season woes.
They suffered injury after injury, most notably to future Hall of Famer Antonio Gates.
Gates is not only one of the best tight ends in the league, but one of the best receivers in the game.
They’ll receive some much needed firepower to open the season with Vincent Jackson back for the entire season but they still need more.
Owens would give Rivers his fourth monster target (Gates, Jackson, Malcolm Floyd) and make this one of the scariest offenses in the league.
Odds: 20:1
9. Kansas City Chiefs
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All year I raved about the Chiefs.
Todd Haley, Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel did a fantastic job all season with a younger team.
The defense is improving at a rapid pace.
More importantly, Dwayne Bowe finally met his potential and emerged as a supreme receiver in this league.
Matt Cassel displayed excellent game-managing skills throughout the season.
This team is set up to achieve further success, but they desperately need a great No. 2 receiver.
Owens and Bowe would be a fantastic combination, but the biggest key here would be Dexter McCluster in the slot.
He was injured during the season but has electrifying, big play, game-changing ability.
This offense, with the dynamic Jamaal Charles in the backfield, would become one of the best in the league.
Odds: 15:1
8. Miami Dolphins
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Miami already has a talented but outspoken receiver in Brandon Marshall. At this point, why not just add Owens to the mix too?
Miami needs to make a splash to get back on the NFL map and T.O. would do just that.
Imagine Marshall, Owens, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh all in the same city? The place would be rockin’ more than ever.
Aside from the star power, it makes sense from a football standpoint as well.
Marshall needs a better No. 2 receiver.
Davone Bess is a very good possession receiver, but is a much better fit in the slot than the outside.
Chad Henne will most likely start at quarterback again, and I still believe he deserves a final chance to prove he can play after performing well in college.
Marshall, Owens and Bess would provide him his best opportunity.
Odds: 15:1
7. Houston Texans
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Doesn’t it seem each year that the Texans are on the verge of making the playoffs, only to falter down the stretch?
Ever hear the saying, “highlight your strengths and hide your weakness?”
Houston signing T.O. would do just that.
The biggest strength of this team is their offense, which needs to make up for a lackluster defense each and every week.
Andre Johnson may be the best receiver in the game, but even he could use help.
Jacoby Jones is not the answer as a No. 2 receiver and would be better suited for the slot.
Johnson and Owens would create the most physically imposing receiving duo in the NFL.
It would be difficult to find many defenses that could compete with them on the same field.
I’ll tell you right now, at least, you won’t find one in the AFC South.
Odds: 10:1
6. Chicago Bears
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A major concern when teams bring in Terrell Owens is the possible earth-shattering shakeup he can have in the locker room.
After the Bears went all the way to the NFC Championship, two of their most glaring needs were on offense at the offensive line and wide receiver positions.
I don’t know about you, but on a team with Brian Urlacher, Julius Peppers and Lance Briggs, I don’t see T.O. acting up too much.
Owens would enjoy playing on such a competitive veteran team with quarterback Jay Cutler, who has a rocket arm.
Owens would look great in a Bears jersey and would give Cutler his best receiving option since Brandon Marshall in Denver.
Odds: 10:1
5. Minnesota Vikings
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Should star receiver Sidney Rice bolt for a new team, the Vikings could actually jump up in the odds, as they would be in desperate need of a No. 1 receiver.
Even with Rice, the Vikings should definitely look into acquiring Owens.
Not only could they use the star power; Rice and T.O. on the same field would be scary.
Even scarier is that Percy Harvin would have more room than ever to work with in the slot and could easily dominate the league ala Wes Welker.
I fully expect the Vikings to acquire a veteran quarterback, perhaps even Carson Palmer from the Bengals.
If they could bring in Palmer and Owens, who already have an excellent chemistry from last year, they may just be the favorites to not only win the NFC North, but the NFC as well.
Odds: 7:1
4. Oakland Raiders
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You can never rule out Al Davis and the Oakland Raiders.
They showed great promise last season and are finally starting to look like a real NFL team again.
Darren McFadden is a superstar waiting to explode after a fantastic 2010 campaign.
The team is moving on from the failures of JaMarcus Russell and has a decent quarterback in Jason Campbell to lead the way.
They need another receiver to make sure defenses can’t stack the box against McFadden.
T.O. might actually make Darrius Heyward-Bey look more than average in 2011.
Even better, Owens’ attitude always seemed to fit well in Oakland, in my opinion.
If no other team emerges this offseason, I wouldn’t put it past Al Davis to sign him for the sake of signing him.
T.O. would have no choice but to sign as he would have to look for a paycheck wherever he can get one.
Odds: 6:1
3. New England Patriots
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We’ve seen Bill Belichick bring in troubled superstars in the past, “rehabilitate” them and win with them.
T.O. would just be another name to this grocery list, but one who could truly give the Patriots an excellent chance to win.
There may not be anybody better on a one-year contract than Terrell Owens.
This would be the best structure for T.O. to be in.
Belichick and Tom Brady would keep him in check and focused on the greater task: A Super Bowl Championship.
The Patriots are missing this type of playmaker on offense.
After Randy Moss, Owens would be the best receiving option Brady has ever had.
After his all-time great season last year, Brady would once again dominate.
The addition of Owens to this offense would further solidify New England’s spot as the top team to win a Super Bowl in 2011-2012.
Odds: 5:1
2. St. Louis Rams
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Sam Bradford surprised me in 2010 and turned me into a fan… perhaps for life, actually. His remarkable display of accuracy in his rookie season was a sight for sore eyes.
Even more impressive was that he did it with the motliest crew of receivers you could ever think of.
The Rams didn’t have a single receiver for him to rely on outside of running back Steven Jackson, yet the two almost led the team into the playoffs as one of the biggest turn arounds in NFL history.
In hindsight, of course, the Rams certainly would have made the playoffs if they signed Owens prior to the 2010 season. That opportunity is once again presenting itself.
Even if the Rams steal Julio Jones in this year’s NFL draft, they should be one of the many teams lining up to acquire T.O.
Odds: 4:1
1. New York Jets
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Of course the New York Jets have the best chances to sign T.O.
They are always looking to make headlines with star power and Owens would become the biggest draw in New York football in 2011.
The Jets lost a lot of firepower this offseason and are looking to retool as they look for their third-straight AFC Championship appearance.
No. 1 priority on offense should be to re-sign Santonio Holmes.
Holmes is the most clutch receiver in the league along with Larry Fitzgerald.
He is an integral piece to the Jets’ offense and makes them one of the favorites to win a Super Bowl.
Holmes is far more important than Braylon Edwards, who the Jets could conceivably let walk if they were to sign Terrell Owens to a one or two-year deal.
Owens is Braylon Edwards, but far better and cheaper at this point in their careers.
It seems just about everybody outside of New England wants to play for Rex Ryan.
The Jets and T.O. should be doing all they can to make this 2011-2012 match made in heaven come to fruition.
Both sides should be courting each other as they eye a Super Bowl ring.
Odds: 2:1
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