Cleveland Browns: 3 Reasons Why Terrell Owens Will Not Be Signed

The "injury bug" has landed in Berea, OH. What's even worse is that it has hampered the receiving unit, a questionable area of depth for the Browns.

There have been plenty of rumors swirling around the possibility of the team signing another free agent wide receiver. The man that's at the center of all these rumors....Terrell Owens. 

On paper, the addition of Owens makes sense. He would fill the void as the team's number one receiver. He is familiar and has had success within the west coast offense. Finally, he's a future hall of fame receiver whose still is in excellent shape for someone who'll be 38 years-old in December.

Owens' agent claims that his torn ACL will not be a problem and Owens should be ready for contact by week one. Even if that is the case, the Browns will not attempt to sign him. Tom Heckert has spent time with Owens, while in Philadelphia and knows that his attitude and personality would be a disaster in the Browns' locker-room. 

Everyone understands that he's a great player but what Terrell fans need to understand is that he's a horrible teammate. The last thing Colt McCoy needs (or wants) is a hot-head veteran receiver who complains about touches in the huddle. 

Here are the three main reasons why the Browns will not sign Terrell Owens.

1. Excess Baggage

Nearly 16,000 receiving yards and 153 touchdowns, Terrell Owens has proved himself to be one of the greatest receivers of all time. But due to his reputation as a poor teammate, he has seen himself play for three different teams the past three seasons. During those three seasons he has compiled very respectable statistics but neither the Bills or the Bengals experienced success.

Owens' attitude has caused himself trouble since leaving the 49ers. He didn't get along with Donovan McNabb (after he had 1,200 yards and 14 TDs) in Philadelphia, so he was traded to Dallas. There Owens continually bickered about Jason Witten being Tony Romo's favorite target. He also had his infamous "He's my quarterback!" rant while playing in "Big D". He then found himself playing in Buffalo and Cincinnati where he did not do anything to change his image as a bad teammate. 

Pat Shurmur knows that if he wants control of his locker-room, a player like Owens should not be considered. His excess baggage and horrible attitude would be a cancer within the locker-room. Most importantly for Shurmur, the addition of Owens won't translate to high numbers in the win column. 

2. Young Receivers Need Reps

The Browns understand that they need to focus on the future. The signing of Owens would contradict everything this team has been trying to accomplish this past year. 

The front office has repeatedly explained that they have trust in their young receivers and expect them to be more successful in the west coast offense. If Owens were to sign with the Browns, he would take away practice reps and opportunities from those receivers. Players like Carlton Mitchell, Jordan Norwood and second-round pick Greg Little all need time to get accustomed to the new offense. 

Owens would bring experience to the receiving core. He could help out the young players with terminology and show them the dedication it takes to have a long successful career. 

But, young players learn how to contribute by getting reps in practice and getting playing time during preseason and regular season games. They don't gain experience and knowledge by sitting on the sidelines listening to a veteran. 

3. Past His Prime

There is no denying that Terrell Owens' athleticism and physical ability has diminished these past few seasons. He wants to be that same receiver who made Jeff Garcia look like Steve Young, who helped Philadelphia reach the Super Bowl, who had three consecutive 1,000 yard seasons in Dallas. But the fact is that his body is deteriorating which was made evident by his ACL injury during the off-season.

Owens' physical nature is what made him so successful when he played in the west coast offense. He was great at running quick precise routes, catching the ball in traffic, and using his strength to break tackles. With his body getting older and more tired, the chances are slim that Owens would make an immediate impact on the Browns roster. 

He would be considered the Browns No. 1 receiver, but that title would only last until other receivers fully understand the intricacies of the west coast system.

Frankly, Owens playing for the Browns does not make sense for either side. He probably wants to play for a team contending and the Browns want to get younger and develop their current receivers.