Should the Falcons finally sign Terrell Owens?
Terrell Owens didn't have much of an impact in Buffalo last season. (Mike Groll/Associated Press)
FLOWERY BRANCH – Folks keep asking the question and now is the time to finally address it.
I’ve been getting tweets at AJCFalcons on twitter.com. (Come follow, we have to celebrate going over 1,600 followers!) Folks have been leaving comments on the blog, sending e-mails and my guys at the barbershop keep asking it, too.
Loading ...Some fans don’t think Michael Jenkins is a worthy No. 2 and are not sure that Harry Douglas will make it back from his knee injury. It’s hard to panic in May, but that’s what hardcore football fans do.
Last season, the Falcons got by with Marty Booker, a quiet professional who came to work and did his job, after Douglas went down.
I’ve gently tried to dissuade the masses from this line of questioning and by citing the headache factor.
The Falcons have clearly been dodging any potential headache players in the post Michael Vick-era in trying to build a championship team.
Each time T.O. has been on the market the Falcons have turned their nose up at the one-time Decatur resident.
Does Terrell Owens have any gas left in the tank? He'll turn 37 in December. (Nell Redmond/Associated Press)
In 1996, the Falcons selected defensive tackle Shannon Brown with the 84th pick in the third round and passed on Owens. He went five picks later to San Francisco. Brown never played a down in the league. (Tedy Bruschi was selected just two picks after Brown. He, of course, went on to help New England stack some Super Bowl rings.)
When Owens’ time was up in Philadelphia, the Falcons weren’t interested.
When Owens’ time was up in Dallas, the Falcons weren’t interested.
Now that he’s out on the streets again and presumably humbled, the Falcons – along with the rest of the league – don’t appear interested.
Even the Cleveland Browns have told him to take a hike.
Let’s look at this from both sides. I want to list some reasons why the Falcons should sign T.O. Then list some reasons why they should not.
Then I’ll turn the floor over to you all.
YES: THE FALCONS SHOULD SIGN T. O.
- The Falcons want to surround Matt Ryan with weapons.
- How potent would a four-receiver formation be with Roddy White and T.O. in the slot on one side and Tony Gonzalez in the slot and Michael Jenkins or Harry Douglas on the other side. Mike Mularkey could put
Michael Jenkins scoring against Texas. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
back on his “Inspector Gadget Hat” and scribble away.
- T.O. didn’t cause any problems in Buffalo. You know, maybe after all of these years in the league he’s no longer a quarterback killer. He will turn 37 in December.
- Veteran wide receiver coach Terry Robiskie and Gonzalez could keep Owens in line. Robiskie used to be a Raider, you know.
- T.O. has averaged 14.9 yards per reception over 15 years and can still get open. He needs just 49 yards to reach 15,000.
- T.O. would help the popcorn sales at the Georgia Dome and give the Falcons some “sizzle” and “star” power.
NO: THE FALCONS SHOULD NOT SIGN T.O.
- T. O. is washed up. There’s nothing left in the tank.
- T.O. has thrown his quarterback under the bus in San Francisco (Jeff Garcia), Philadelphia (Donovan McNabb) and Dallas (Tony Romo) and the Falcons can’t risk him turning on Matt
Will there be a McNabb and Owens reunion in Washington? (Associated Press)
Ryan.
- T.O. will be an unnecessary distraction, crying in press conferences and trying to bring attention to himself.
- T.O.’s had a nice run. Maybe he should just get on with his life’s work.
- T.O. is a six-time Pro Bowler and five-time first team All-Pro, but hasn’t done it since 2007.
YOUR TURN . . .
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430 comments Add your comment
Dirty Byrd
May 18th, 2010
5:33 pm
DOL – You can take the Por football ref (where the hell did you cum up with dat?)
I’d take Hines Ward over all of em.. Can’t “stats” heart!!
Whitney Houston
May 18th, 2010
5:42 pm
Hell to the NO!!!
Stewie
May 18th, 2010
5:59 pm
T.O.? N.O.
dilla
May 18th, 2010
5:59 pm
I think the falcons should go after TO, he will not cost much, he’s better than any #2 receiver currently on the team, he was a good citizen when he was in Buffalo even when the media tried to provoke him. Sign him for a year and if he doesn’t work out it didn’t cost much. An aging TO is better than a 1 touchdown a year, 3rd pass dropping, can’t get open even though he runs a 4.4 Michael Jenkins.
I don’t think the Falcons will go after him, other than Duante Robinson, the Falcons haven’t went after any free agent talent to help the team. We keep trying to fill holes with below rate talent like Jamal Anderson and others.
Jawbreaker
May 18th, 2010
6:22 pm
Maybe, for the minimum salary.
B-rad
May 18th, 2010
6:42 pm
Crack kills, D-Led! Put down the pipe and cover our team. wow.
steven
May 18th, 2010
7:00 pm
Owens would have to get a P.H.D. from M.I.T. just to become a moron! The closest to a Falcon he needs to be is in the upper row of the stadium. He might still have enough cash to buy a season ticket. What a total waste! All talent and mouth and no brains. It’s cost him untold millions. Did I mention he’s a total waste?
waynester
May 18th, 2010
7:30 pm
DUMBEST THINGS I READ ON THIS BLOG: (Actual quotes)
1 We could use a player with his “hype”
2 the folks of ATL deserve a “buzz” right now
3 TO is being “blackballed by the league”
4 “These racists on here want an all white team”
5 He has a house here so he’d be comfortable
6 I’m sick of fans playing the “character card”
7 character is overrated in the NFL
8 TO would bring a “championship swagger”
9 stop looking for “church boys”
10 offer him whatever it takes to come here
11 bring in TO and there’s 12-13 wins gauranteed!
12 Matt Ryan can’t get it done
13 M Ryan couldn’t handle a prolific WR yelling for the ball
14 Mike Smith is on the “hot seat”
15 “people who are saying ‘NO’ to TO are only looking at his past”
The last one is probably my favorite due to the obvious nature of the statement and the apparent sincerity of the poster– and how TO brings “championship swagger” without a championship is equally absurd…
Dr. Kenneth Noisewater
May 18th, 2010
7:36 pm
we already have a diva in the making with Roddy. Besides, who knows how the Falcons’ WRs will do this year- maybe put even better stats up this year than TO. The UNLV guy sounds pretty exciting.
D. Orlando Ledbetter
May 18th, 2010
7:38 pm
POLL UPDATE:
Should the Falcons sign Terell Owens?
* No, he’s too much of a diva. (33%, 681 Votes)
* No, he’ll poison Matt Ryan’s young career (25%, 521 Votes)
* Yes, the receiver corps is thin after Roddy White. (24%, 483 Votes)
* Yes, you can never have too many good football players. (18%, 365 Votes)
Total Voters: 2,050
Waynester — Some of this stuff is pretty comical.
DK
May 18th, 2010
7:46 pm
I would sign him…at a base salary at the league minimum for veterans that is heavy with incentives. or Sign that TO or take a hike would be my offer
Admiral Ackbar
May 18th, 2010
8:05 pm
It’s trap, Matt Ryan. How about, NO to TO! No more D-bag players in Atlanta uniforms, please.
Should the Falcons sign T.O.?
May 18th, 2010
8:22 pm
[...] D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution posed the question of whether or not the Falcons should sign free agent wideout Terrell Owens. [...]
carl51023
May 18th, 2010
8:29 pm
I don’t mind picking up T.O. Our receivers aren’t all that strong. Jenkins has come up big in some tough times, but sometimes just isn’t enough. T.O. has experience and skill and I think he might benefit our offense. With T.O., Roddy White, Tony Gonazalez, and Jerious Norwood, there is potentially a lot of speed in the open field; a big chance for deep plays. But he does have a reputation for ruining QB’s. That’s the one thing that scares me a bit. Our team is just getting on track and we don’t want any “diseases” to get us “bed-ridden.” So it’s a 50-50 thing for me.
shee23
May 18th, 2010
9:21 pm
T.O. is better than what we have now. Jenkins is not a #2 receiver even though he was drafted to be a 1. Douglass is good but not a #2. HD is better that Jenkins at the 3. Adding Owens would increase nightmares for the opposing defense. He has gone through his stage of maturing and now he just wants to play. Sign him to a 2yr deal, (2nd yr a team option) and have it constructed with incentives. He will sell tickets, create mismatches and score TDs.
limespider
May 18th, 2010
9:25 pm
The falcons do not need T.O. or any other player that is all about themselves.Tony Gonzalez is the perfect veteran pickup, and T.O. is the total opposite.They don’t have to make some big news making signing to have a good season.
What Role Will WR Meier Play? | Atlanta Falcons: Bird Cage
May 18th, 2010
9:40 pm
[...] -DOL Broaches the Ever Fun Topic of T.O. [...]
Matt
May 18th, 2010
10:03 pm
Yeah…I could see it. I think he would help the team, honestly, but you wonder about his ego. Thanks for an interesting article, Mr. Ledbetter.
MSS
May 18th, 2010
10:06 pm
i hope someone signs him but not us
hiramsaint
May 18th, 2010
10:10 pm
matty slush got the book ” an idiots guide on how to throw a completion” for his birthday, so maybe t.o. could be of some help.
sick fan
May 18th, 2010
10:21 pm
This is a stupid article. Following Vick, the falcons will never draft, sign or share the same locker with a headcase. It’s just not in the cards. If we wanted a receiver who is a headcase we could have drafted Dez Bryant, but we passed on him. NO WAY WILL WE EVER SIGN TO. EVER EVER EVER.. . .
Jason
May 18th, 2010
10:24 pm
Everyone needs to read terrellowensdefense.org and actually educate themselves on Terrell Owens. It debunks all of the media propaganda.
hiramsaint
May 18th, 2010
10:30 pm
written by who jason?
1Time
May 18th, 2010
10:36 pm
Yes, he should come at a great price. TO has finally grown up, he was a class act in Buffalo. Matt is not a kid, he can handle himself, TO cant influence him is he doesn’t want him to. What people fail to realize is TO is a work-a-holic, he works very hard on the field. He is no comparison to Jarmacus Russel, he is a bumb!! I think a 1 year contract with some stipulations in it will be fine, although it may not even be needed. So sign him and make this the most lethal passing game in the NFL..
With that being said, the Falcons always want to take the safe, most standup route. Thats why they have never gotten over the top and with that philosophy, they never will until they are not scared to bring in playmakers!
Bill
May 18th, 2010
10:41 pm
Hell NO !
Bill P
May 18th, 2010
10:49 pm
Not just no but Hell No…..T O is nothing but a cancer.
hind tit
May 18th, 2010
10:55 pm
said the drunk. boss , i quit drinking, give me one more chance and i promise i won’t drink on the job again.
rayn brady
May 18th, 2010
11:18 pm
2008 he had vinny t thowing to him 5 weeks of the season and last season…we all know how the bills QB’s are…they would be smart to sign him
Kapoonka
May 18th, 2010
11:39 pm
Sign him for one year slightly more than league minimum. If he plays for that..he wants to play. I actually think he has matured and just wants to play. He’s definitely in good enough shape…and he’s worth a few hundred K a year… I think Matt would love him for a target.
Brandon
May 18th, 2010
11:39 pm
I think itd be a good deal to sign him. Just think of this… Imagine… T.o. and Matty Ice Holding the lombardi trophy…. what did Kevin Garnet say after the 2008 finals??? “ANYTHINGS POSSIBLE”"”
SO id say give it a try
shane
May 19th, 2010
12:06 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNO6On7cK1M
Do you really want that guy on your team?
waynester
May 19th, 2010
12:07 am
Anyone who has to put up a website to “explain” his disruptive behavior is clearly screwed-up–perhaps beyond repair. Using the excuse of coming from a home without a male role model is about a decade too late to be relevent–especially given how many guys from identical backgrounds are NOT problems for their teams. If it takes you until your mid-30’s to “mature” you haven’t ripened–you’re spoiled. All this pity ought to instead be directed to the numerous NFL owners, managers, players and fans who have combined to make this guy a millionaire–instead we get hand-wringers on here blaming those same owners, coaches and QBs for his failure to live up to his potential.
drmondo
May 19th, 2010
12:31 am
I still see posts talking about TO coming cheap and about his “high level of skills”.
1. TO wants at least $5 mil a year according to reports. That’s a far cry from the league minimum.
2. He expects to be the #1 WR on any team he goes to.
3. If you look up dropped passes for the NFL, TO is usually in the top 2 for most of the time he’s played.
4. He’ll be 37 and since he’s not a kicker, this matters.
5.He’s never been a team player. Just because he didn’t throw his Bills teamates under the bus every week, only 3 or 4 times last season, doesn’t mean he’s learned his lesson about being a member of a team.
6. With our run first offense, I would expect TO to have lower #s than he did in Buffalo. He was the primary WR on the Bills and the team sometimes went out of their way to throw him the ball. In ATL, he’d be the third option in passing situations behind White and Gonzo. His ego won’t allow it.
7. Last year only Buffalo was willing to take a chance on TO. The Bills had a serious problem with drumming up support for a below-average team that hadn’t been to the playoffs in years. They signed him for the publicity, not because they thought he was the best WR who could get them to the playoffs. This year, nobody has even hinted at having interest in him. This includes teams like Wash who seem to snatch up any aging vet they can find. Pacman is drawing interest, so its not just TO’s character that’s an issue but his skills as well.
So, would you pay $5 mil for a WR who will probably give you numbers similar to Jenkins (expecting more that 1 TD but not 7+); who complains constantly if he’s not the focal point for the offense; who has a history of throwing every QB he plays with under the bus; who is more than a decade past his prime? Why?
Jason
May 19th, 2010
3:33 am
Everyone really needs to read the Terrell Owens defense webside at terrellowensdefense.org
So many people talking out of their ass…brainwashed by the mass media.
john masters
May 19th, 2010
4:29 am
As another tall reciever,like White,I think it would work.Matt is throughing high alot.I mean way over the recievers heads.T.O. would give the Falcons 3 tall recievers–White,Gonzalez,& T.O.
But have in his contract that any flare-ups and he’s gone.Would signing T.O. let us trade Jenkins?It could.Why not give him a try-out?This is Matts break-out yr anyway.
Go dirty birds!!
mo
May 19th, 2010
4:30 am
@%#& no
p
May 19th, 2010
4:59 am
Are you an idiot?
Jen
May 19th, 2010
5:41 am
Hell to the NO!
If he was that great still……why didn’t Buffalo re-sign him?
.
Jenkins isn’t that bad.
T.O. is all washed up and he has no one to blame but himself.
mick
May 19th, 2010
5:47 am
IT doesn’t matter what I think(I say no) the falcons would never do it. He is anti-everything the falcons are trying to build.
Southside
May 19th, 2010
5:55 am
Dimitroff and Smith have not spent 3 years building from the ground up to hire a moron troublemaker.
GroundedFalcon
May 19th, 2010
6:02 am
Yessssssssssssssssssssss!
Do It Now! Now! Now! Now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Quickly! Get it done!
Then the Falcons can fly again!!!!
Seriously, do you think the passing game will be any better with the current staff?
Go Get T.O. Please!!!
GroundedFalcon
May 19th, 2010
6:12 am
Get T.O.
We could have a big parade down Peachtree with T.O. leading the way!
Falcon’s Brass show some moxy!
Don’t be affraid to make a mistake.
Go for it!
GET GET GET GET GET GET GET GET GET GET GET GET Terance Owens NOW!
I’m tired of the same old dull ground attack! I’m tired of losing!
Falcons Fly! We desperately need an air attack!!!!!!!!
GregKennesaw
May 19th, 2010
6:18 am
Stupid, lazy question DOL, …..How about some news on rookie camp
DirtDobber
May 19th, 2010
6:23 am
Amazing that this even comes up but ok, I’ll play.
All the comments about how he is not good, cant do this, or cant do that anymore are pure BS. The man is one of the best who has ever played the position.
The problem is and shall forever be his tongue. His tongue has destroyed locker rooms. This is the risk one assumes with T.O.
Has he changed ? Doubtful.
BigWood
May 19th, 2010
6:28 am
Yeeesssssssssss…Season Ticket Holder
Jeff
May 19th, 2010
6:54 am
D.O.L.- I definitely think we need a WR and another RB. I have been saying on here since the end of last season. However- I do not think that T.O is the answer though this is an intriguing proposition. There are many other good WR and RB FA still available that doesn’t have all the baggage. The last few seasons I believe TD and Smith have waited until the start/middle of training camp to make such moves.
Do you have any vibes that they will do it again? Like many others I don’t think the WR corp past RW will take us very far this year.
Here is a few FA I found on NFL.com As you can see at WR plenty of GOOD receivers still available.
WR-
Austin Miles- 4th year
Mark Clayton- 5th year
Laveranues Coles- 10th year
Kevin Curtis- 7th year (same as Jenkins)
Devard Darling- 6th year
Malcolm Floyd- 4th year
Mike Furrey- 7th year
Vincent Jackson- 5th year
Justin Jenkins- 3rd year
Greg Lewis- 7th year
Lance Moore- 4th year
Mushin Muhammad- 14th year (may have more left than TO)
TO- 14th year
Josh Reed- 8th year
David Tyree- 6th year
Javon Walker- 8th year
Kelley Washington- 7th year
Iron Head
May 19th, 2010
6:56 am
Ode to SID erudition is not a requisite for the use of grandiloquent verbosity. Please don’t butcher Poe……………
explorer01
May 19th, 2010
6:57 am
The Falcons needs someone of T.O.’s status as the motivator on a offense. I don’t see anyone else motivating on the sidelines, so to say! If T.O. can’t motivate you, then you can’t be motivated. Many of you say T.O. will be too much of the hassle with RYAN. By saying this, YOU ARE SAYING RYAN CAN’T HANDLE THE OFFENCE! Just another “softie” so to say at quarterback that may have a great game every now and then. The same with the Defense!! THERE ARE NO ONE THAT’S OUTSPOKEN ON THE TEAM THAT MOTIVATES EITHER SIDE! This is what differentiate the GREAT from the “wanna be’s”!!
NFL News and Notes – May 19, 2010 | The Other 31
May 19th, 2010
8:39 am
[...] D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution wonders if the Atlanta Falcons should sign Terrell Owens. [...]
htwo0rider
May 19th, 2010
8:52 am
NO