Getting Close?
Reports Say Owens Deal Is Near; TE Hannam Visits
Nick Eatman -
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DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
March 17, 2006 6:01 PM
No official word yet, but it sounds like things could be getting close between T.O. and the Cowboys.
IRVING, Texas - While there has been serious speculation of the Cowboys closing in on a deal with wide receiver Terrell Owens, there still is no official word coming out of Valley Ranch.
Not even a press conference has been scheduled.
But that could change rather quickly, with several reports suggesting a deal could be announced as soon as this weekend.
Neither team owner Jerry Jones nor head coach Bill Parcells has commented on the situation in the last two weeks. And yes, even Owens and his agent Drew Rosenhaus have remained mum on any potential deal as well.
Owens, who was released this week by the Eagles, has been linked to the Cowboys for several months. And speculation rose even higher this week when not only did Philadelphia cut the outlandish wide receiver, but the Cowboys also waived Keyshawn Johnson to avoid a $1 million roster bonus and a potential difficult contract renegotiation.
Parting ways with Johnson immediately makes the wide receiver position a top priority for the Cowboys, especially with the free-agent receiving crop starting to dwindle.
Not only is Owens the most talented receiver available, but the next best options would likely involving making a trade for Green Bay's Javon Walker or signing Eric Moulds if he indeed is released by the Bills as expected.
But if the Cowboys are able to sift through Owens' off-the-field issues, he definitely is one of the game's most electrifying players.
Despite turning 32 in December, Owens is a proven playmaker. He has 716 career catches for, 10,315 yards and 101 touchdowns. And although he played in only seven games last year for the Eagles, he still led the team in receiving yards (763) and touchdown catches (six). And don't forget his 14 touchdown receptions in 2004 for Philadelphia, helping to lead the Eagles to their fourth consecutive NFC title-game appearance. Owens displayed amazing recuperative powers by returning from the broken ankle he suffered against the Cowboys to play amazingly well in the Super Bowl, catching nine passes for 122 yards.
He also brings a rare combination of size and speed, not to mention play-making ability. Owens had a 91-yard touchdown catch last season and has 40 career catches of 40 yards or more.
But with all this comes his infamous baggage. After eight seasons in San Francisco, the 49ers traded him to Philadelphia after Owens publicly asked to be traded and wiggled his way out of a trade first to Baltimore.
That did earn Owens the contract he desired, but he became disenchanted this past year when the Eagles would not renegotiate after sinking nearly $13.5 million into him that first season. He eventually threatened to hold out in training camp and when he finally reported, he was quickly sent home a week later by Eagles head coach Andy Reid after being disruptive in practice and in team meetings.
Once the season started, Owens and quarterback Donovan McNabb continued their ongoing feud, mostly through the media. Owens publicly agreed with Michael Irvin's comments that Brett Favre would be a better fit as the Eagles quarterback than McNabb.
And after a locker-room fight between Owens and team consultant Hugh Douglas, the Eagles finally suspended Owens for four games. That suspension was upheld after the NFL Players Association filed a grievance. Owens never played another snap for the Eagles, who deactivated Owens for the remaining four games of the season following the four-game
suspension.
So with all that, would the Cowboys still want him?
Only Jones and Parcells can answer that question. But with free agency now entering its second week, the Cowboys might just need Owens as much as they want him.
Stay tuned.
Hannam Visits
Not only have the Cowboys not signed as many players as expected here in the first week of free agency, but they haven't exactly dealt with household names.
After signing offensive lineman Kyle Kosier and linebacker Akin Ayodele this week, the Cowboys brought in Seattle tight end Ryan Hannam on Friday, visiting with the free agent prospect at Valley Ranch.
Hannam, who served as Seattle's No. 2 tight end last season, is a four-year veteran who has just 22 career catches. Although he's considered more of a blocking tight end, Hannam did come up with the game-tying touchdown against the Cowboys last October, helping the Seahawks to a 13-10 victory.
Hannam (6-2, 248) caught a career-high 13 passes last season for Seattle, primarily backing up starting tight end Jerramy Stevens and being used as a blocking tight end.
A fifth-round draft pick out of Northern Iowa in 2002, Hannam has played 52 games in the last four years, missing 11 games in 2003 with a knee injury.
And if signed, Hannam, who was on his way back West after visiting with the Miami Dolphins on Thursday, would replace Dan Campbell, who spent the last three years in Dallas before signing a free-agent deal with the Lions earlier this week. This would allow the Cowboys to get younger at this position, Hannam 26 and Campbell 30.
More than just his blocking and occasional pass-catching, Campbell's leadership will be missed the most. The Cowboys' offensive captain last season, Campbell caught just three passes for 24 yards with one touchdown.
Hannam's role in Dallas would be to compliment the play of Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten, an emerging star who has caught 153 passes in the last two years, including 66 in 2005. Witten also had an increased role in the blocking game, but adding a player such as Hannam might allow him to be even more productive in the passing game.
Rogers Finally Cut
The Cowboys have officially released offensive tackle Jacob Rogers after it appeared there was a chance he might be allowed to compete for a roster spot during the mini-camps and training camp this year.
But Rogers, who spent the entire season on injures reserve last year after being initially waived/injured, irked the Cowboys last August when he decided to undergo microfracture surgery on his bothersome knee.
At the time, team owner Jerry Jones said Rogers' days with the Cowboys were ultimately over, but the team never released him from the injured list during the season.
But now that Rogers has recovered form the injury, the Cowboys have officially parted ways with their second round pick from 2004.
Rogers played only two games during his rookie season, trying to make the adjustment from playing left tackle at Southern Cal to playing right tackle with the Cowboys. Rogers also had problems with his strength once he hit the NFL.
Rogers began last summer's training camp competing for the starting right tackle position, and even spent the first two weeks working with the first-team offense. But he suffered the knee problem in the preseason opener in Arizona, and would never play again.
