By now it’s quite obvious Terrell Owens won’t be returning to Buffalo in a Bills uniform. However, that doesn’t mean he won’t be seeing the Bills in 2010.
There’s a growing buzz around league circles that Owens will end up signing with the Cincinnati Bengals and partnering up with wide receivers Chad Ochocinco and Antonio Bryant.
That would result in Owens facing the Bills—twice.
Buffalo faces the Bengals twice in 2010; a preseason game at Ralph Wilson Stadium on August 28 and on the road at Paul Brown Stadium on November 21.
For that to come to fruition, the currently unemployed egomaniac/future Hall of Famer would have to sign a deal with the Bengals. According to the official Bengals twitter page, team owner Mike Brown is interested.
“It’s up to him,” Brown said at the team’s annual media luncheon. “We have interest. We are talking to him.”
The team has already talked to Owens before. In fact, to date Cincinnati is the only known team that Owens has officially visited with. He flew into Cincinnati shortly after free agency started, but the team instead elected to sign Bryant.
Now they may have both.
The St. Louis Rams have also reportedly been interested and although other teams have sent overtures Owens’ way, it’s likely to come down to the two. The question becomes whether Owens takes perhaps more money and a larger role with the lowly Rams, or takes less and possibly a diminished role to play alongside good buddy Ochocinco and contend for a championship.
Owens has made no public comments regarding his intentions, though agent Drew Rosenhaus claims more teams are still interested and Owens will be joining a new team soon.
Owens caught 55 passes for 829 yards and five touchdowns with Buffalo last year, one of the worst statistical seasons of his career. While his numbers saw a significant drop and his age (36) is now a factor, his character was never questioned in the Bills locker room and he can’t be solely blamed for the team’s offensive inadequacies.
Bills cornerback Drayton Florence commented via twitter when asked on his take about possibly lining up against both Owens and Ochocinco.
His response?
“Ear plugs, maybe.”
