Sports editor Tracy McDannald, staff writer Matt Moreno and managing editor Tiffany Rider — an avid Dallas Cowboys fan — discuss the release of Terrell Owens, who then signed with the Buffalo Bills as a free agent.
Tiffany Rider: I’m just as surprised as both of you are, I’m assuming.
Tracy McDannald: I didn’t see Buffalo at all. I’m going through the teams and thinking, ‘All right, how is he going to get Dallas back?’ I thought he was going to have revenge on his mind or something. And to sign for only — and I say only, but — $6.5 million for a guy of his caliber?
TR: Yeah, compared to what he was getting from the Dallas Cowboys it didn’t make any sense … $6.5 million for one year, I was just shocked. Tracy, we were talking about how his agent is this money-hungry guy. Why would he settle like this?
I thought he would go to a team that had more money, more publicity. I mean, he’s a showboater and … I don’t know what he’s going to bring to Buffalo. I thought he was going to go somewhere like Green Bay or the Jets or … somewhere other than Buffalo.
Matt Moreno: I thought he was going to the Raiders. They have a guy that can throw the ball 80 yards, might as well have him run straight and throw it to him. And Al Davis loves a story.
TM: That and I look at Buffalo’s quarterback situation — Trent Edwards, really? T.O. picked on Jeff Garcia, didn’t seem to have that many problems with Tony Romo … but a guy like Trent Edwards, he’s not even one of the top-15 QBs in the league. T.O.’s been known to call out his QB or some of his teammates.
TR: I don’t think he’s going to be able to play at his full potential in Buffalo. He wasn’t able to this past season because Romo broke his little pinkie finger. I just don’t see the benefits of him going to this team. That and it kind of touched a nerve for me when I read that he said he was going from America’s Team to North America’s team. What does that even mean?
TM: I’ll look at it from Buffalo’s perspective or any team struggling like Buffalo. If you go 7-9 three straight seasons, you’re last in your division, I think they almost had to make the move. What do you really have to lose? How much worse can you really get? Unless you become the Detroit Lions or something.
TR: Or the St. Louis Rams?
TM: That’s where I was hoping he would go!
MM: And I think from the Bills’ standpoint — how old is their owner? 90? He’s probably not going to live much longer. Might as well try this since nothing else has worked the last few years.
TR: It just kind of seems like an act of desperation.
MM: Yeah, so he probably wants a Super Bowl before he dies.
TM: Another thing is how T.O.’s agent was saying how several teams were interested. Well, wouldn’t his price have gone up at least near $10 million?
TR: And who were these other teams that were interested? I thought some other teams would’ve been jumping for him, but there are costs and benefits for having Terrell Owens on your team.
TM: Now how much better can he really make them? I guess he can turn them into a playoff team, but can he do much more than that?
TR: He can’t carry the whole team himself. Like you were just saying, the QB isn’t … I mean, we’ll see what happens with their relationship. Ugh, I’m just still upset that he left the Cowboys. After saying “that’s my quarterback,” him and Tony Romo seemed like they had a really good thing going. He still had a 1,000-plus yard season.
MM: Yeah, and he still had a lot of touchdowns and still had a decent season … Now, do you think it will have a positive effect for the Cowboys now that Roy Williams can be their legitimate No. 1 receiver and not have to worry about T.O.?
TM: I look at their receiving corps and you take away T.O., yeah you get rid of a headache but now defenses can focus in on Roy Williams. Then the question becomes, who else does Tony Romo have to throw to other than Jason Witten? You need at least a third guy to step up.
TR: Well, the thing with the Cowboys is they had a lot of injuries this season. We’ll see what happens because they’ll have Felix Jones, Tony Romo’s pinkie will be better — they just had a lot of injuries with good players. I’m interested to see how Roy Williams and Tony Romo interact.
TM: I guess the last question would have to be: What’s the over/under on how many games it takes T.O. to blow up this season? I give him about eight games.
TR: Eight games, you’re really giving him eight games? You’re very generous. I think even before the season starts — during practice — he’s going to start seeing flaws. He is a perfectionist and I think it’s going to start much sooner than game eight. It might not be publicized but it will definitely be happening. His strong personality is going to come out.
MM: I hate that guy. I don’t think he’s going to last before the season. He still has to go through training camp with all these guys. He’s going to realize what a bad team they are.
TR: I still wish he didn’t leave. I’m so pissed! I still don’t get why we let him go. I think that it’s bullshit that Jerry Jones wanted to get rid of him. I highly doubt it.
MM: Well, get your popcorn ready.
TR: Or Buffalo wings.
The signing of T.O. to the Bills has made their offense respectable. With Lee Evans and Roscoe Parrish on one side and T.O. on the other side, good things are bound to happen. With T.O. attracting double coverage, Lee Evans can beat single coverage easily. With a good running attack with Marshawn Lynch/ Fred Jackson, their offense should be potent. All depends on if Edwards can regain the form that he had when he lead the Bills to a 4-0 and 5-1 start last season. The Bills are celebrating their 50th season and with owner Ralph Wilson and DE Bruce Smith being inducted to the HOF this summer, this is their season to make a move.