No Love for T.O.

Terrell Owens was once a fantasy monster, a highlight reel for every network, and a top-selling jersey, but in 2010 the guy seems to be blacklisted from the NFL. With training camp very close to starting up and coaches mapping out their game plans, someone somewhere must be thinking to themselves “we’re a little light at wide receiver”.

In April, new Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said on ESPN’s schedule-release show that “we will not go in that direction right now”, referring to being in the T.O. market. On Thursday, Shanahan said that “right now” continues to apply.

Many are pegging the disaster in Buffalo last year as Owens fault, but I for one believe you can’t point the finger at just one player when the team was clearly lost from the beginning. Little things like trading away LT Jason Peters to the Eagles for a 1st round draft pick, and then filling the position with a lawn chair or pylon didn’t make a lot of sense. The Bills passing game was a joke from the beginning, and hints were there as early as week 1. In case you don’t remember that far back, the Bills implemented a hurry-up offense of quick passes and draws, a coaches answer to a lack of pass protection.

Terrell Owens, through all this erratic mess, never once used the media. We never saw the screaming fits on the sidelines like we did in San Fran or Philly, so what’s really the problem?

The sad truth is, the guy has simply lost a step.

Stats don’t lie: Since being targeted nearly 10 times per game in 2007 and helping his QB to a 94 passer rating that year, Terrell Owens has slipped. This past season in Buffalo, Owens was targeted under 7 times per game, and Bills quarterbacks had a paltry rating of 60 when looking T.O.’s way.

Whether it was poor route running or dropped balls, T.O. was not a go-to receiver last year. This season Owens will be turning 37 in December, a number that will likely scare teams away no matter what your name is.

Fans who are unhappy with their teams receiving core better get used to seeing rookies struggle this training camp, because the going consensus amongst the NFL seems to be that T.O. is washed up and not worth the risk.