Just how interested in Terrell Owens are the Rams? (updated)
by Ryan Van Bibber on Jul 24, 2010 8:36 PM CDT
in St. Louis Rams news
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PrintJust how serious are the St. Louis Rams about Terrell Owens? Reports earlier this evening suggested that the Rams were in hot pursuit. From ESPN's Chris Mortensen:
The St. Louis Rams have intensified discussions in hopes of signing free agent Terrell Owens, according to sources close to the player and team...
A high-ranking Rams official said a formal offer for Owens could come on Monday.
Pro Football Talk has "separately confirmed" the report via their sources. For NFL news that's a bit like getting it written in stone from the Moonies. A later report from Jason LaCanfora has a Rams source dubbing the T.O. talk "overzealous."
So which is it? Who knows. It sounds like at the very least that the Rams have engaged in some talks with Owens' agent, Drew Rosenhaus, who could of course be exaggerating the Rams' interest to make his client a little more of a priority for the Bengals.
A veteran receiver who knows the offense, route running, etc. would be a nice add for the team. As for T.O. as a the T.O. he used to be, those days are gone, in terms of his play. What about the personality that made him so infamous?
I'd say age will keep it in check to some extent. He had a lot more to be cocky about six years ago. Not that I paid much attention, but I don't remember his schtick being an issue last year...correct me if I'm wrong. It's still a risk, and a sign that Spagnuolo et al have confidence that the young players on the team have bought into their system.
UPDATE: Jay Glazer of Fox Sports is reporting that Devaney and Spagnuolo will meet Monday to decide whether or not to seriously make an effort for Owens, which jives with the reports above.
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T.O
HELL YES. BRADFORD HAS TO HAVE SOME ONE TO THROW TO. HANDS DOWN T.O STILL HAS A FEW YEARS LEFT IN HIM.
I just want to know
Why is he not signed yet? Why does RosenhausSports send out a twitter message that T.O.‘s interest is heating up (July 16th BTW). And why did he make Jon Beason publicly apologize and retract his statement for saying his team would not sign T.O?
Also, I just don’t believe a WR with his own reality show should be mentoring or influencing young WRs.
I votd Yea
1. I believe his pre-madonna days are behind him
2. He would be the #1 reciever
3. He would be the #2 offensive weapon behind Jackson.
4. He would lead a young group of receivers
5. He’d sell tickets
6. He’d help free-up the other reciever positions which I believe will make the passing game the best it can be. With 3 youngins that are really unproven in talent, defenses can feel more comfortable in the box where we need Jackson to have running lanes, holes and rushing yardage gains.
This may be a dandy in disguise signing.
Question is, does TO want to be on a playoff contender where he is not the #2 face on the team? In Cincy, he’d be like 4 or 5.
I think that if he comes,,
Westbrook will most likely be more interested.
by Tevin T. Broner on Jul 25, 2010 12:25 AM CDT reply actions
I voted yes.
Last year in Buffalo, his production number were down. However, he wasn’t a character issue at all. He isn’t what he used to be on the field, but he would still be the best receiver on our roster. Also, in another attempt to improve his reputation, he would probably work very hard to help out our young wide receiving corps.
If you give a man a fish and he'll stink up the whole town. However, give a man a fishing rod and he'll poke your eye out.
Why would he want to come and play with a rookie QB who is playing in front of a shaky offensive line.
Cincy has alot of question marks at the WR position. Antonio Bryant sat out the last of minicamp and T.O. could go there and start.
Cincy won their division last year (swept Baltimore and Pittsburgh) and return every starter on a defense that ranked #4 in total defense. If you add Owens with Chad johnson and Cedric Benson that team could make a run at the Super Bowl.
Kenneth Lewis Moore
It's
interesting that the Rams have emerged as a potential fit for TO but I honestly think it’s best to leave him alone. The chance exists that he’ll play with Bradford’s head. Please remember that ultimately it’s more important to develop your young talent than roll the dice on something that’ s anything but a sure bet.
Brad James
by the new Bradfather on Jul 25, 2010 2:52 AM CDT reply actions
Well, I voted Yeah but with one condition...
that they only offer him a one year contract with a second year for an incentive if he attains certain goals like so many receptions, so may yards, etc.
Then in the 2011 draft get a true #1 WR and RB with the 1st and 2nd picks.
Go Rams!
"We can't run. We can't pass. We can't stop the run. We can't stop the pass. We can't kick. Other than that, we're just not a very good football team right now." --- Bruce Coslett, New York Jets Head Coach circa 1990s
This could get interesting..
Tevin make s a great point… T.O. does bring more than his ability… he instantly makes the team “appear” that much closer (debatable in reality) which could attract more interest from other talented free agents like Westbrook.
Even though he has lost a step (also debatable!), he will STILL attract attention from opposing defenses.
I honestly believe with Owens on the field, SJAX could have his best year and lead the league in rushing, provided his health holds up.
SJAX aside, it’s hard to deny the Rams would be a better team (in terms of winning games) with T.O. on the team.
Ask yourself, can we really NOT mke an ofer to T.O.? Think about it.. we’ve filled just about every position we can due to the limited free agent pol so signing T.O. for a year will not hurt our growth.
Provided he doesn’t cause T.O. syndrome on the team, I say sign him for a year with incentives.
"The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall." - Vince Lombardi
Interestig to hear who gets released..
"The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall." - Vince Lombardi
I highly doubt
that would be the scenario.. too man other unproven, plus Amendola is a future hall-of famer
"The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall." - Vince Lombardi
yes
Playmakers is what we need.
Can closed
by CanofRamz on Jul 25, 2010 11:17 AM CDT via mobile reply actions
Crap, I thought of the pitfalls of this...
…like Prima-Donna TO somehow creeping up and ruining our Franchise QB.
Then, I remembered that Donnie Avery is our best receiver, and that if Sam Bradford would allow himself to have his confidence shaken by TO at this point, then he probably has no business being said Franchise QB.
Therefore, LET’S DO THIS!
Spare me the sadness of watching Sam search and search in the pocket for receivers that can’t get a yard of separation. Hell, I know it isn’t the same TO, but he can still break free more often than our receivers can. Plus, Sam Bradford is better than Ryan Fitzpatrick right?
Who knows? Maybe TO is better than his last season.
Depth Chart:
1. Terrell Owens
2. Laurent Robinson
3. Donnie Avery
4. Mardy Gilyard
5. Brandon Gibson
6. Danny Amendola
Yeah, I’d feel a lot better about that. Plus, TO was quiet last year. This could be a crazy wildcard that, if played right, could turn our season around.
"I was just letting the shots fly. You know, I don't leave any bullets in the chamber."
"Everything negative- pressure, challenges- is all an opportunity for me to rise."
" 'So what if I hit the wall?"
(Reporter): 'Why?'
'Because I'll run right through it."
-Kobe Bryant
by TrojanRam on Jul 25, 2010 11:31 AM CDT via mobile reply actions
Yeah - my first inclination
was a “no, what for?” type answer with his destructive history of QBs and primadonna attitude reasonings to fall back on – especially with a rook ready to start. But the WR corps is weak – there may be youth and potential – but it scares no one. To jlcdb’s point earlier – with oppossing D’s having nothing to fear from WR – they stack the box and comfortably jam up SJax’s lanes – and #1 QB pick or not, for now the offense runs through #39.
He ain’t what he used to be but still a threat the D needs to key on – it can only help with spreading/stretching the field for 39 and the rest of the WR’s and a rookie QB’s best friend (TE).
It might not be the best move for all my initial reactions (so I am ok with not doing it), but I can get behind the reasoning for doing it (with a not-stupid contract and the understanding that Spags will bring the cut-hammer if he steps off marching orders).
I should be working right now...
That being said
it is extremely possible we are just the bargaining chip he needs to get his Cincy deal….and this speculation is all for nothing
I should be working right now...
This might sound crazy
but I see TO being the veteran of the recieving corps that can teach the young guns how it’s done. I mean Spags has one of those guys at every position except WR, Feely QB, Robbins DT, Hall DE, Diggs LB, Butler DB, SJax RB, J. Brown OL, and Bajema TE. The recievers are the only group without a mentor and TO could be the guy, with all his success he could show our young group how to progress correctly.
Julio Jones for Rams 2011
What's The Point
So you want to sit Avery or Robinson for a 37 year old Diva (since we rarely have 3 wr’s on the field)? You want to lose a roster spot for Amendola or Gibson or maybe even Alexander? This makes no sense. For 6 months Devaney has told us our receivers are fine and then suddenly he decided they are not. If the Rams sign Owens it means they don’t have a plan or a clue.This will be a development year for young players – if we win one or two more games because of Owens, what is the point.
Those rascally Florida players
You really can’t trust them. Another reason the Rams need some upstanding veteran presences on this team.
I like the thought of a TO addition, here’s why: Jackson will rack up some big numbers. Imagine having to tackle TO 220 lb+ and Jackson 230 lb+ for 3 quarters at about 25 tackles between the 2. Eventually your LBs will get tired and one of the two, most likely Jackson, will break some big gains.
you must have mispoke
upstanding veteran presence and TO do not go together
Rasmus can hit lefties
cardinalred
St. Louis Sports blog
by stlcardsfan4 on Jul 27, 2010 4:29 PM CDT up reply actions
Everyone is blinded by the name.
Problem is, this isn’t the Terrell Owens you’re thinking of, the guy with the HOF resume. Not anymore.
It’s easy to dismiss T.O.‘s crappy 2009 season, taking place as it did in Buffalo with no real quarterback throwing the ball to him. The thing is, he wasn’t that effective in 2008 either, when he dropped off in how often he actually caught balls that were thrown to him. In a year that Romo hit on 61.3% of his passes, he only hit on 50% of those thrown to Owens. That speaks rather strongly of a guy who wasn’t getting good separation anymore. Combine that with his numbers from last year, even taking into consideration the situation, and the outlook for 2010 isn’t great.
If T.O. can be effective, then signing him is okay. I’m not particularly worried about his prima donna nature. If it was under control in Buffalo, with the raging QB incompetence they exhibited, he’ll be fine working with a young guy with obvious potential, even while he struggles. Amazingly, Owens seems to be pretty realistic about where he is right now, and the kinds of opportunities he’s likely to have. If he’s not effective, the Rams are better off giving the snaps to the young guys, and giving them the best possible opportunity to develop.
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
someone thats not delusional just because of his freakn name!!!!!! TO has nothing left. PERIOD!!!!
I hope TO
comes to St. Louis. I agree with a post above saying that his pre- madonna days are over, he would be the
number 1 reciever, and would be a offensive weapon behind Jackson. We certainly need help at reciever so why not give it a shot.
Why does everyone say that receivers will have to sit.
It’s called a steady rotation, we will work the other receivers in we will go to 3 or 4 wide receiver sets also.
by Tevin T. Broner on Jul 25, 2010 4:04 PM CDT reply actions
Well
We might now want to make all 6 receivers active for every game, and one person will be cut that wouldn’t normally be. So at least a couple receivers would be losing reps.
Onubon > Gates
For as bad as this offense has been in recent years
It’s almost as if Devaney has no choice but to sign him, although signing T.O. is hard to make anyone feel as ease.
Follow me on twitter @Joey_Kaufman
unless bradford is worse than trent edwards, brian brohm and ryan fitzpatrick...
owens will have a 1,100+ yards 10+ td season with the work ethic he has. GET HIM! t.o seems really worried about his legacy now that he’s close to retirement so i think he would really try to mentor the receivers and, mostly, sam. we could really use that to make us respectable as a whole team. honestly, with t.o, we could probably win 6 games compared to 4 without him.
Kenley Jansen > Mariano Rivera
I have never liked
TO. But I think this would be a good move. It would raise the team’s profile with the national media and with the casual local fan. It’s good marketing/PR. The Rams aren’t going to win the Superbowl next year…maybe they could at least sell tickets and keep from getting blacked out. If he makes Sam’s first year easier in any way, then you definitely do it.
Please do not bring in TO. He's no longer a difference maker. He's no longer a play maker.
This season is a tryout for most of our WR’s. Not enough snaps to let a has been WR that WE WON’T KEEP FOR LONG take snaps away from our current crop EVEN IF THEY AREN’T VERY GOOD.
The opportunity cost is too high.
Will our WR corp for 2012 include TO? Definitely not.
Will our WR corp for 2012 include Donnie Avery? Probably
Will our WR corp for 2012 include Burton? Probably not.
Will our WR corp for 2012 include Brandon Gibson? Who knows?
Why sign someone that for sure won’t be here later? We already have enough that won’t be here later.
I can take a beating ... I'm a Rams fan.
Do I want Sam Bradford killed because he's waiting 5+ seconds for Donnie Avery to get open?
NO.
The opportunity cost of not giving Sam an extra weapon, a weapon that actually had decent numbers despite being thrown to by Ryan Fitzpatrick and not having a great running game, is worse IMO.
"I was just letting the shots fly. You know, I don't leave any bullets in the chamber."
"Everything negative- pressure, challenges- is all an opportunity for me to rise."
" 'So what if I hit the wall?"
(Reporter): 'Why?'
'Because I'll run right through it."
-Kobe Bryant
I am open to the idea.
It could go either way. In all honesty I don’t think a 1 year deal would be that detrimental to
Bradford.
I think it would bring in some healthy competition among our current crop of receivers. I feel like we need to take some risks on this team, and this is one that I agree with.
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