I can’t believe I just wrote that headline for this post. I can’t believe I’m actually considering this. I’ve been on record before saying there is no way the Bears should even consider T.O., but another lost, playoff-less season has me changing my tune.
Am I crazy? Absolutely. But before you totally dismiss this, hear me out.
Cutler likes ’em big
They say size doesn’t matter. Yeah right. Tell that to JC (or your girlfriend). You could tell about halfway through the 2009 campaign that he was sick to death of throwing to the midget – sorry, little people – wide receivers that constituted the Bears’ roster. The biggest wide receiver on the Bears last season was Devin Aromashodu, at an unimpressive 6’1″ and a scrawny 201 pounds and you saw what he and Cutler were able to accomplish in just a few games when the Bears braintrust finally wised up and got DA on the field. T.O. is listed a 6’3″ at a stout 224. As much as it’s the height, it’s the weight that makes T.O. a valuable asset. He can take that big body and battle for jump balls. He can be the go-get-it guy Jay Cutler has lusted after since he arrived.
In Remission
Everyone this side of Mike Ditka has called Owens a locker room cancer. I’m here to tell you that the cancer is in remission. Did anyone hear a peep out of T.O. last year? Maybe it was the fact that he was playing in the news vortex of the universe (Buffalo) but I don’t think so.
The free agent market has been open for business for a while now, yet Owens is still on the market. That’s enough to humble even the gigantic Terrell Owens ego.
Is Owens fully cured? Like any cancer, there’s always the chance of a relapse. Add Owens to Cutler and Martz and you’ve got potential for an explosive situation.
What else ya got?
T.O. would immediately step in and become the Bears best wide receiver. You can spout off all you want about Knox, Hester or DA, but TO has the numbers to back it up. In his worst season in 5 years, Owens put up 55 catches for 829 yards and 5 TD’s. And that was with Trent freakin’ Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick tossing him the rock.
The Bears’ management will tell you they don’t want a veteran wide receiver because they don’t want to stunt the development of their young wide receiving group. Hmm, doesn’t Julius Peppers stunt Jarron Gilbert or Mark Anderson’s growth? The fact is, if you have a chance to get a better player, you go get him, youngters be damned.
Without a first or second round draft pick, you’re left to pick over late-rounders. Could you find another diamond in the rough like Johnny Knox? Sure. But even Knox made plenty of rookie mistakes, like not finishing routes and giving up on plays. The Bears need a veteran to just go out and make plays.
Some might argue that Torry Holt is a better fit, especially with his experience in Mike Martz’s offense. That may be so, but I don’t think Holt offers the same upside as Owens. Holt is 6’0″ and weighs in at 200 lbs. That’s not much different than what we’ve got.
Desperate Times call for Desperate Measures
It should come as no surprise that Lovie Smith and Jerry Angelo are on a short leash. With three straight seasons with no playoffs, the Bears have pulled out all of the stops with some bold free agent moves. So why not go all-in and take a shot at a desperate and talented, though potentially combustible wide receiver? With high risk comes high reward. Go get Terrell Owens.
Get your popcorn ready and go get T.O.!