Demo Sports Daily

Get your popcorn ready… Terrell Owens is back.

After an impressive workout yesterday, the 38-year old reciever has agreed to a one-year contract with the Seattle Seahawks.  His time in the 40-yard dash was reportedly 4.45 seconds.  Not bad for a man near 40, who’s coming off of acl surgery.

In spite of this, one must wonder how much Owens has left in the tank?  Sure, Seattle may want the publicity.  While a second season of the T.Ocho Show is out of the question, as the other half changed his name back to Johnson and is playing across the country in Miami; Owens can still garner headlines.  Unfortunately they aren’t always good.  With Seattle in the middle of a Quarterback competition, there is a chance Owens will be at odds with whoever they chose.

True, he says he was a good soldier in Cincinnati, but look at every other stop.  In San Fransisco he was not shy about commenting on Jeff Garcia’s lack of talent.  In Philadelphia, his dislike of Donavan McNabb was legendary (but hey, T.O. wasn’t the one taking a knee during the Super Bowl).  In Dallas he was always on the sideline pissed about something, that’s why Jerry Jones showed him the door.  In Buffalo he didn’t get the ball enough.  Even with the Allen Wranglers he was released and lost his ownership stake because he wasn’t a “team player”.

The overwhelming evidence should definitely draw caution.  Especially with Coach Pete Carroll, who isn’t really known as a disciplinarian.

Still, I like this signing.  The team could use another talented receiver.

True they have a lot of names on their roster.  Sydney Rice, Doug Baldwin, Golden Tate, Braylon Edwards and Ben Obamanu all currently catch passes for the Hawks, but I actually think that T.O. has the capability to out-produce all of them.  Rice has the most talent of any of these receivers.  That being said, he is coming off two shoulder surgeries.  With injuries as a concern, I wouldn’t want to expose him too much over the middle.  Trying to keep him healthy may limit his production, as would coming off those injuries.

Baldwin was a great story last season, leading the team in receiving yards as an undrafted free agent.  Now people are keen to him, he is the most likely candidate tin the league to suffer from a sophomore slump.

Tate and Obamanu have potential, but with an unproven quarterback (something Seattle will have no  matter who wins the starting job), they shouldn’t be pushed to quickly into a starring role.  This runs the risk of seeing their potential wasted.  Also Tate coming off the bench will allow him to maximize his value in the return game.

Finally, there is Braylon Edwards.  Just signed last week, he will be T.O.’s biggest competition for a roster spot.  Both are veterans and Edwards probably has the edge in the locker room.  Still, I think T.O. has the edge to be the one who sticks.

How can that be? He is older and more volatile than Edwards.  There are actually several reasons.

T.O. is faster.  Edwards maybe could have run 4.45 five years ago, but I would be hard-pressed to think he could do it now.  Also T.O. is a workout fiend.  He hits the weights hard, perhaps harder than any other receiver in the league.  This would make him a great influence on the younger receivers, teaching them the importance of conditioning.

Speaking of conditioning, T.O. is huge.  He can take punishment over the middle, and pick up yards after the catch.  He fits this mold better than anyone else on Seattle’s roster.

You don’t become one of the all-time greats by accident.  Even in Cincinnati at the age of 36, he was their best receiver.  Now he has something to prove.  That chip on his shoulder could lead to a very productive season.

If not, the risk is minimal.  Owens signed for the 10-year veteran’s minimum of $925,000.  If it doesn’t work out, just send him packing.  The loss wouldn’t hurt that bad financially.

But what if it does work?  Seattle could have found one of the bigger catches this off-season.