Market for T.O. appears unchanged
Published: July 7th, 2010 | Tags: Michael Lombardi, Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens took aim at the media Wednesday for fueling his perceived character issues, arguing it’s the main reason he hasn’t been signed by a team this season.
So, there’s that.
But that angle isn’t new to the scene, seeing as how Owens acknowledged those concerns on “NFL Total Access” last month while disputing they should deter teams.
What also isn’t new is the consensus on the market that exists for Owens. It’s been thought throughout the offseason it would take a change of direction by a team or a training camp injury to create an opening for the 14-year veteran, a scenario he also has seemed willing to accept.
Looking more closely at the market for Owens, NFL Network insider Michael Lombardi shed some light on how many teams might be viewing his value.
“T.O. is a three-dimensional problem,” Lombardi noted. “The first dimension is the fact that yes, his character has come into question, and people are concerned about putting him in the locker room. The second dimension is that his skills are deteriorating. He can’t get away from press [coverage] and doesn’t catch the ball consistently enough. The third dimension is contract. How much can he possibly make?
“When you put all of those three things together, his marketplace is very small.”
Maybe, as Owens suggests, it is a matter of perception versus reality. But that perception seems to be widely held throughout the league, and the market for his services doesn’t appear to have changed.