Owens to Redskins highly unlikely to happen

By Rich Tandler

I am getting a lot of comments on Twitter and on the CSN Washington Facebook page about the possibility of the Redskins signing free agent wide receiver Terrell Owens. There were some before the Carolina game and now, with Santana Moss out for five to seven weeks with a broken hand and Owens’ workout scheduled for today, the T. O. queries are way up.

With the caveat that you should never say never, here are a few reasons why that the Redskins will not sign Owens:

--The Redskins are not sending anyone to Owens’ workout today. When asked yesterday if anyone from the organization was going Mike Shanahan said, “Not that I know of.” If the Redskins were sending anyone, Shanahan would know.

--When Owens was a free agent last year Shanahan, who never comments on whether or not the team is pursuing a specific player, made an exception and ruled out signing Owens. And remember that the Redskins were much worse off at receiver a year ago as Roydell Williams had a roster spot the entire year and Joey Galloway had one for a while, too.

--The Redskins drafted three receivers last April and they also have second-year receiver Terrence Austin. It would be the height of insanity for a team that is trying to build for the future to give snaps to and throw passes to a wide receiver who is going to be 38 in December.

Here is what Shanahan said about Niles Paul a couple of weeks ago:

“He’s going to be an excellent football player for a lot of years…He’s a football player. You can see it on special teams and watching him every day in practice. He’s going to get better and better as time goes on. You guys will be talking about him for a while.”

And here is what he said on Monday about Leonard Hankerson:

Hankerson has been making some unbelievable plays in practice. We put him out there to get an opportunity.

It certainly doesn’t seem to me that the Redskins are anxious to bring in an aging high-maintenance diva to play wide receiver. 

 

Comments

[GaryE20904]

I agree with just about everything you said but I have one minor comment. The reason that the Redskins are not sending anyone to the workout *might* (and I can not stress might enough) be because the 'Skins staff already think they know everything they need to know about him. Just a possibility . . . and yes I am being pedantic.

Having said that I agree that it does not make a lot of sense to sign him for the reasons you have stated. Honestly even if he was an answer to loosing Moss for all but the last 3 - 5 games I am not sure I would like to see him on the team.

Having said that I personally think loosing Moss is a huge deal because of how much double coverage he draws. But even if one thinks TO can step in and take that double coverage I would much rather see the team invest in the future and get our young receivers a lot more plays rather than plug the hole with an aging veteran who at most has 3 seasons left (and that is being very very optimistic) . . . and yes that is pretty much the same point you already made.

It would be one thing if the 'Skins looked like a team that could go deep into the playoffs with Moss but let us face it that is not the case -- in other words it is not like Moss was going to get the 'Skins to 11-5 and vying for a/some home playoff games. I am with you that it makes very little sense to bring in TO. Again I would much rather see the young WR's get more playing time.

[Darryl Quick]

it makes sense because they are 3-3..you never know who will go where int he nfl. remember the steelers were picked to not make the playoffs and as a 6th seed they went the distance and won the superbowl..stuff happens man and a team is one injury away from a disaster season. just look at the colts. if brady goes down again just know there is no matt cassel this time.

stop bringing up terrell owens and what he did 3 and 4 years ago. cuz if i ask when was he a cancer im sure your answer would be pre bills and pre bengals. 2 teams that anyone would go to the media about. u r tied for 2nd place in the division and you talking about givin your young receivers experience? sounds like you think the season is over already. i say bring terrell owens in and if by week 11 you dont have a winning record or you feel that you arent gonna make the playoffs then you turn to giving guys experience. but not when you are 7 weeks into the season. sounds like you guys are 0-6 and not 3-3.