Terrell Owens lands in Cincinnati; perspectives on Antonio Bryant
by jsl413 on Mar 9, 2010 7:59 PM EST
in Free Agency Visits
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PrintTerrell Owens landed at CVG International about 25 minutes ago. He's off to dinner with coaches, and will have his official visit at Paul Brown Stadium tomorrow, according to Geoff Hobson. Hobson got in touch with former Bengals QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, who had some very nice things to say about Owens.
"It's hard not to like T.O. He was fun to play with and no one worked harder," Fitzpatrick said Tuesday. "And let me tell you something. He can still flat out run by people."
...
Palmer has apparently finally been able to get in touch with Owens to talk Bengals. Fitzpatrick has been texting Owens, letting him know that Palmer's long ball is looking for another partner. And to let Palmer know that Owens has still got it.
"I know we had a tough year and it discourages me when I hear people say he's lost a step," Fitzpatrick said. "Put on the game tape. He just blows guys up off the line with his explosiveness."
Additionally, Owens seems very motivated by non-financial factors to play in Cincinnati. Particularly, the man really wants to play with Chad Ochocinco and win a Superbowl. He tweeted:
En route @ Natti land!! i'll let u guys know how the mtg went! Cn't go 2 bad considering the pursuit of tht Lombardi shiny thing!!
and later..
@OGOchoCinco i'm on the plane!
Update(s) from Cincinnati Enquirer's Joe Reedy viaTwitter: Joe Reedy seems to have grabbed a few lines from T.O: ""Right now this is my first stop and we'll see how it goes from there. Chad and I both can alleviate a lot of pressure off each other and we can make Carson's job easier."
A few minutes later, Reedy tweets "I definitely feel like I can play 2-3 more years. I keep myself in great shape and that in itself speaks for itself." Could be a PR ploy to boost his value, but maybe 2 years of T.O. is in the works.
Reedy is a workhorse: "I saw [Chad Ochocinco] on Saturday. His work is already done. He put the bug out there. So right now we have to solidify some things."
Update 2: Owens' day with Bengal ownership starts tomorrow at 7:45 AM. He'll be meeting with Mike Brown, WR Coach Mike Sheppard, and Bob Bratkowski. Presumably, contract negotiations would ensue after that.
Meanwhile, Antonio Bryant reportedly left Cincinnati without a deal. But according to the St. Petersburg Times, his formerly reported visit with Washington, where he could have competed for the #1 wide receiver spot and potentially earned a bigger contract, is not happening. This has fueled speculation from ESPN that talks went very well and that a signing may be imminent.
Could that mean Bryant is closing in on a deal? Perhaps. Stay tuned.
Other teams that have been reportedly linked to Bryant are similarly economically situated Carolina, and wealthier New England and Miami. The feeling is that Bryant will make a decision soon.
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Get one of these up 1
CB85......Collaros for Heisman
by TennBengalfan on Mar 9, 2010 8:07 PM EST up reply actions
I'm in writing mode, man.
I’ve got a 10-15 pager due Friday on top of an 8-pager.
I’ve got a 4-page group project for Thursday.
10-15 page research paper I haven’t started due Tuesday. Take-home final due Tuesday. In-class final Tuesday.
im going to say it
T.O will sign 2 year deal and Bryant will sign a 4 year deal your heard it here first!!
News interview with Owens in Cincy news 12
Veteran standout receiver Terrell Owens is on the ground in Cincinnati tonight. The sometimes controversial player says joining the Bengals is his “first option”. At the airport tonight, he told Local 12 Sports Director Brad Johansen he would be anxious to play with Carson Palmer and would look forward to the chance to play with his friend Chad Ochocinco. After leaving the airport Owens said he was going to have dinner with Coach Marvin Lewis and simply see where things go from there.
See what T.O. says he has left in his tank when he discusses his NFL future in Brad Johansen’s exclusive television interview tonight on Local 12 News Live at Eleven.
CB85......Collaros for Heisman
by TennBengalfan on Mar 9, 2010 8:14 PM EST up reply actions
This is what I like, and why I think T.O. wouldn't be that bad here.
1) He’s old and didn’t make a fuss in Buffalo.
2) He likes Chad. He’ll like Marvin. Carson can deal with him – he’s an established Pro Bowl QB that knows better than ANY OTHER QUARTERBACK how to deal with personality WRs.
anxious to play with Carson Palmer and would look forward to the chance to play with his friend Chad Ochocinco.
Carson always gets what he wants hes talked to bryant
and he said he would love to have T.O i guess well see
TO himself
“I definitely feel like I can play 2-3 more years. I keep myself in great shape and that in itself speaks for itself.”
TO on Chad: “I saw him on Saturday. His work is already done. He put the bug out there. So right now we have to solidify some things.”
“Chad and I both can alleviate a lot of pressure off each other and we can make Carson’s job easier.”
“Right now this is my first stop and we’ll see how it goes from there.”
CB85......Collaros for Heisman
by TennBengalfan on Mar 9, 2010 8:21 PM EST up reply actions
What I don’t like is the “Right now this is my first stop and we’ll see how it goes from there.”
Basically if Mikey doesn’t show him some worthy money he’s not going to take much of a cut just to play with Chad and Carson..
Don't read too much into that.
He was pretty pumped to come to Cincinnati (at least, his Tweets seemed to be)
arms straight out to the side arms encircled over my head…
arms straight out to the side arms encircled over my head
i realize it’s probably going to be a terrible move, but i really like the idea of t.o. to the bengals. i’m sorry.
i'm going to go america all over your ass!
Matt Jones
Does anybody remember that we also signed Matt Jones? haha. I have almost completely forgotten about that guy
Seems like Simpson is being considered a bad project now.. I bet he couldn’t even hang in a D1 school and we took him with a 2nd round pick..
I'm not going to know Simpson until I see him on the field.
I still think he may be really good by the time its all said and done.
by smoormandiddy on Mar 9, 2010 11:20 PM EST up reply actions
For anyone still awake...
go check out the Ocho’s twitter accoutn and his comparing this TO situation to Batman and Robin. Latest tweet just called Benson the riddler, Bobbie Williams the penguin, and Tank Johnson Mr. Freeze.
One other thing to maybe take from this, is Bobbie close to coming back? Kind of sounds like it from the way Chad uses him in his tweets. Of course, Chad’s tweets over the past half hour have been completely off the charts, so who knows.
Chad says done deal
CB85......Collaros for Heisman
by TennBengalfan on Mar 9, 2010 11:05 PM EST up reply actions
Sorry talking bout williams
CB85......Collaros for Heisman
by TennBengalfan on Mar 9, 2010 11:17 PM EST up reply actions
Get both, draft Iutapi and Carson's problems are over
"Coincidence is God's way of staying anonymous"
terrellowens
@OGOchoCinco Holy macadamian nuts Robin or Roker!! I got a meet & greet 2morr w/the owner, wr coach & OC. My days starts @ 745am Roker!
Gimme both.
If I have to pick… TO. I don’t like Bryant long term. I’d rather buy a couple years to find a real #1 of the future
Assuming Demaryius Thomas is the guy they're talking about
I’d only take him if he’s still there in the 2nd round. He’s not the physical freak Johnson is, at 6’3 225. Johnson is 2 inches taller and 10 pounds heavier. The thing Thomas brings is vertical speed. He is a gamebreaking deep threat, but can get lost in the run-blocking game. Honestly, he reminds me of a young, slightly bigger Chad Johnson. 2nd round pick that could be something great if he really works at his craft, gains focus in practice, and gets really great at getting in and out of his cuts.
The guy I’d like to see is 6’3, 207 Minnesota product Eric Decker in the 3rd round. He may even fall to the 4th. I wouldn’t be upset if the Bengals picked Thomas and Decker in the draft, as they would be the next Ocho/Housh in Cincinnati without a question.
Information is out there :)
I don’t know much about Thomas, but based on available scouting reports and video, that’s my take.
Northwestern University
Thanks for asking! I’m in the middle of revising an introduction of a paper in which I’ll argue that U.S. leadership and supremacy hinges upon its ability to restrain itself from doing every damn thing it wants
It's... something.
I have a ridiculous workload for the next 7 days. But after that, 2 classes and I’m done!
I’m a political science and international studies double major with a business minor… got a job up in Wisconsin and from there I’ll HOPEFULLY be in Business School in 3 years.
What are you studying, what year are you?
im in my third year
my major is Business Management. My Dad owns his own business in Dayton so i am planning on Working for him when i get out of school and hopefully take his job one day :)
What's the biz?
There’s been a small business in my family for a few generations as well, so after I get an MBA hopefully he’ll let me into the company
Tooling and Machining
We do a a lot of work for the military and for like medical products we have like 30 CNC machines idk if you know what those are or not and like 20 Brown and sharpes. we can make anything out of metal pretty much
I think Roy will probably be back.
There’s just not going to be a market for him.
Reggie Kelly, I have no idea. I feel like the organization wants him to come back, but it hasn’t made any news.
I wouldn't mind seeing Reggie back in some capacity,
but a popped Achilles at his age isn’t likely to heal up for football in my opinion. Wouldn’t mind seeing him come on in some form of coaching capacity.
by Craig Conrad on Mar 10, 2010 7:01 AM EST up reply actions
My god.
Could we actually luck out and get both?
Chad/TO/Bryant/Caldwell/Cosby, with Jerome Simpson sitting on his couch, waiting for us to call him?
by Big Sky Bengal on Mar 10, 2010 12:33 AM EST reply actions
The logical part of me says no.
The Bengals are more likely to sign one and draft another. Depending on which they draft will affect when they look for WR in the draft, though. I’m a really big fan of Decker, but he’ll probably go in the 3rd or 4th. He’s my favorite receiver in the draft and reminds me a lot of Wes Welker + 5 inches. The dude’s an absolute beast. He doesn’t go down easily, he makes ridiculously tough catches – if he weighed another 40 pounds, they’d be calling him Jason Witten’s second coming.
Well carson said
he would love to have TO and has been in constant contact with Bryant and what plamer wants he gets…he got coles released
" I don't lie, I tell a different version of the truth."
by Purple City Middie on Mar 10, 2010 12:35 AM EST reply actions
We'll find out.
But I doubt we sign both. It could happen and I wouldn’t be opposed, but it’s a long shot to me.
Wouldn't it be more accurate
to say that Coles get Coles released? Did Carson really have an active hand in it, or is it a feeling you have? Just curious.
If they sign TO...
I wouldn’t be suprised if they don’t draft a WR til the 6th or 7th. I don’t think they’re ready to give up on Simpson… and they aren’t going to cut Caldwell or Cosby.
It actuall looks like Dez Bryant is falling in the projections
If we got TO and then could draft Dez we would be taking care of both the near and long term situation. We must remember that speed, size and good hands are only part of the WR equation. The key is route running. Hitting your spot at the right depth and changing directions crisply while looking for the ball. It begins with getting off the line cleanly and quickly.
Chad and TO are two of the best route runners in the game. They can really work the field and find the soft areas of the defense. They could be a supreme tandem, especially if Carson can regain his pre 2008 form. Who better to teach a natural talent like Dez the finer points of the game than these two? They can also teach him how to have a good time without going over the line and getting into trouble. I could see the Bengals with all 3 of these guys on the field at once using TO in the slot the last 10 games of the season. Each can eat up single coverage and at least one of them will get it. Carson will always have a target and with at least 5 defenders focusing on the WRs the middle will be softer for Benson and even a halfway decent TE. Plus we would still have rounds 2 on to upgrade the D with a Safety and another CB and maybe a few diamonds in the rough in other areas.
"Coincidence is God's way of staying anonymous"
I don't like a first round WR, still.
I’d rather wait for a 2nd or 3rd round guy. Gilyard will plummet after running a 4.6 today on his Pro Day. Decker from Minnesota will be around.
Honestly, as long as we’re not reaching, maybe a WR is fine. If a highly rated guy FALLS to us, that’s fine. If it’s a reach, don’t bother. Take the best player that falls to us. If it’s Gresham, fine. Iatupi, fine. I don’t think I have Bryant that high on my chart.
I fell the sme way js.
Dez Bryant does have some unique talent over every other WR in this draft and he would probably be the only guy I would consider over an OL guy, DL guy or safety. With A. Bryant on board we can take a bit of time – 5-6 games before we need to use him and he has the physical skills to be a legit #1 in a couple of years.
"Coincidence is God's way of staying anonymous"
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