[NFL] Showtime: Owens agrees to one-year, $2M deal with Bengals

By bguy_1986
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bguy_1986

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Get your popcorn ready, Cincinnati: Terrell Owens is coming to town.

Owens, the outspoken wide receiver and reality TV star, agreed to a one-year contract with the Bengals, a team source told NFL Network insider Michael Lombardi on Tuesday.

NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora confirmed that Owens will be paid $2 million in base salary and could earn an additional $2 million in incentives. Owens received $6.5 million from the Buffalo Bills last season.

The news thrilled friend and new Bengals teammate Chad Ochocinco, who had lobbied the team on Owens' behalf. Ochocinco wrote on Twitter: "Terrell Owens is officially a Cincinnati Bengals, Cincy let's welcome him with open arms, it's on now!" He later added that he and Owens are "like batman n robin, siskel n ebert, ying n yang, bonnie n clyde but you're bonnie though."

Owens was much less theatrical in his lone Twitter post, writing: "Hoping 2 b a Bengal w/in the 24hrs!!"

According to The Cincinnati Enquirer, Owens will not sign his contract until Thursday, when the Bengals hold their first training-camp practice in Georgetown, Ky. The newspaper also reported that Owens isn't expected to attend the 9 a.m. practice that day, but he likely will show up for the 7 p.m. session.

Owens took the Bengals' deal after the St. Louis Rams decided not to make an offer.

"We took everything into play and we came up with a decision, and I really want to talk about the 2010 Rams," coach Steve Spagnuolo said Tuesday.

Spagnuolo declined to say how serious the Rams were in contract talks with Owens.

"I'm not going to put it in a category," Spagnuolo said. "We sat down, talked about it. We went about it the right way and the decision was made."

That left the Bengals as the only team publicly in the mix. While discussing his interest in Owens, Bengals president Mike Brown noted Monday that the receiver caught the winning 57-yard touchdown pass during the Dallas Cowboys' 31-22 victory over the Bengals in 2008.

"I think that I would rather have him line up on our side of the ball than the other side of the ball," Brown said.

Brown has a history of giving chances to players with trouble in their past. He repeatedly brought back receiver Chris Henry, who was arrested five times and died last year in a fall of his fiancee's truck. In the last two years, the Bengals also have signed running back Cedric Benson, running back Larry Johnson and receiver Matt Jones, all of whom were let go by other teams because of off-the-field issues.

In an interview with The Associated Press earlier this month, Owens pointed out that he was on good behavior last season in Buffalo, where he caught 55 passes for 829 yards and five touchdowns -- his least-productive full season since early in his 14-year NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers.

Ochocinco unsuccessfully lobbied for the Bengals to sign Owens after they visited with him in March. Instead, the Bengals chose wide receiver Antonio Bryant and gave him a four-year, $28 million contract with $8.5 million guaranteed. However, there have been concerns about Bryant's health in organized team activities and minicamp, the Enquirer reported.

Another change since then: Cincinnati's quarterback joined the lobbying effort. Carson Palmer, who has been working out with Owens in California, excitedly called Bengals coach Marvin Lewis about making a run at the receiver.

"Carson was really impressed with a lot of the things that Terrell was doing," Lewis said Monday. "Carson's comments to me -- I guess the word is they resonate well."

Lewis denied last week that the team needed Owens, telling the team's official Web site, "I don't want to speak (about Terrell). We've been down that road. I don't have a concern that we need to add anybody (at receiver)." But Lewis changed his tune Monday, saying the Bengals' goals and Owens' goals "match up."

"He's an effective player and you like what he brings," Lewis said. "You like what people say about him who have had him on their football team to the positive, and we've just got to make sure none of the negative creeps in anymore. He's been a couple of years beyond that."

Brown formed his opinion about Owens last March during a one-on-one meeting in conjunction with his tryout.

"When he was here, I was surprised," Brown said. "I met with him personally and privately. He is not at all the way his public image is depicted. He's a pleasant person, a quiet person. I found him engaging. And I do trust my own eyes on this sort of thing."

The Bengals now lead the NFL in reality TV show stars. Ochocinco appeared on "Dancing With the Stars" during the offseason and has a dating show called "Ochocinco: The Ultimate Catch" currently playing on VH1. Right after Ochocinco's show comes "The T.O. Show."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d81954d2d/article/showtime-owens-agrees-to-oneyear-2m-deal-with-bengals

So FREAKIN PUMPED about this. Should help the team out a lot as long as Bob Bratkowski doesn't screw it up, and Palmer can still produce.

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bguy_1986

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you realize it'll be week 6 tops before ocho and t.o. go at one another right?

I don't see that happening. He did fine last year, and as long as the bengals win, you won't see any fighting.

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rajputwarrior

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I don't see that happening. He did fine last year, and as long as the bengals win, you won't see any fighting.

yeah he didn't go off about edwards at all... keep livin in your dream world.

two of the biggest egos in all of sport on one team fighting for the most balls thrown at the by a guy who can only throw long bombs.

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sanctified Veteran

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yeah he didn't go off about edwards at all... keep livin in your dream world.

two of the biggest egos in all of sport on one team fighting for the most balls thrown at the by a guy who can only throw long bombs.

Remember that Ochocinco is actually his best friend. however I still agree that is different to hang out with a friend or to work with him.

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bguy_1986

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They are both old enough to understand the value of having eachother. They've been double teamed most of their careers. Now what are teams going to do?

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sanctified Veteran

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They are both old enough to understand the value of having eachother. They've been double teamed most of their careers. Now what are teams going to do?

Still doubleteaming Chad since Owen is not what he used to be.

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bguy_1986

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Still doubleteaming Chad since Owen is not what he used to be.

I really don't think Owens has lost too much. He's going to put up numbers, throw in Greshem and possibly bryant (I hope to see Shipley in there also)... It's going to be difficult to stop.

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Mathachew Veteran

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I'm not sure you'll be able to watch. I just got word that all our games got moved to Pay-Per-View.

:rofl:

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bdsams Veteran

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Cant wait to see how this plays out...the bengals have a good record of turning around people with troubled pasts...look at cedric benson....if bryant stays healthy, carson will have a lot of options to throw at.

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Darth Laidher

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This is T.O's last year so he better make good use of it.He can't be that stuck up cry baby anymore because hell he couldn't even find a team to take him in till now.Shut up and play T.O

GO EAGLES!!!!

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sanctified Veteran

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Cedric Benson is going to have a career year. I'd say maybe 1,700 yards, at least.

You mean after the suspension he is going to face?

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Ayepecks

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I am going to place a bet that he doesn't last the season. I am still trying to understand why he is even still in the NFL ..

...because he still puts up better numbers than the vast majority of receivers in the league maybe?

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Fr.klnp

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...because he still puts up better numbers than the vast majority of receivers in the league maybe?

The guy has a major ego issue that I hope gets addressed this year ...

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ynnoj

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The guy has a major ego issue that I hope gets addressed this year ...

85 is just as bad, and the Bengals don't seem to mind it. I can't see Owens changing at all.

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Ayepecks

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The guy has a major ego issue that I hope gets addressed this year ...

He produces, which is why he isn't out of the league -- I was just answering your question. I don't deny he has an ego problem, but there are tons of players in the NFL that are the same way.

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Fr.klnp

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Ochocinco.

o.k. Thank You - You have to look at the Bengals record. When was the last time they were in the Superbowl? Although they have improved over the past couple of years, I don't look for them to get there this year either.

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