Rams taking a T.O.?

If they can tear themselves away from the exciting announcement of the naming of the Rams' mascot Monday morning, the Rams braintrust is reportedly getting together to decide whether or not to seriously pursue Terrell Owens. The Owens-to-the-Rams rumor really picked up steam this weekend, with the Bengals also considered in the running for the still-free agent WR.

Like with the Michael Vick rumors last year, local press doesn't seem to care whether or not signing T.O. would be a good move for the team as much as they do that he'll be a story. Unlike Vick, though, I don't necessarily see an Owens pickup as a bad move. Then again, I don't really see it as a good move, either.

Owens' 55 receptions and 829 yards in Buffalo last season bested anything any Rams receiver did. His average per catch of 15.1 was a little better than his career average, and certainly better than Donnie Avery's weak 12.5. At 6'3", 226 he'd bring the Rams receiving corps needed size, especially in the red zone, and with 14 seasons and 6 Pro Bowls under his belt, he'd bring them some badly-needed experience, too. He'd be pretty much a perfect fit for the Ram offense. He's earned a career reputation as a showboater, me-first player and locker room poison, but he seemed to behave himself in Buffalo last season. If that means he's finally matured, it's hard to see Owens doing much harm to the Rams this season.

Though he likely wouldn't do much harm to the Rams playing against them, either. He'll be 37 by the end of the season. I don't believe he's all that fast any more, or all that hard to cover. You're not going to stretch the field much with him (not that the Rams try that much these days). And he sure does drop a lot of balls (and always has) for a guy you're thinking about using in a WCO.
At 37, he's not much of a candidate to stay around more than a season, and if he does, the odds increase he becomes a disrupting influence in the locker room. It's his career pattern.

And seriously, if the Rams have been so keen on finding a veteran WR who could play in this system, mentor the young receivers, catch 50 balls or so and charge the fan base up a little bit, why didn't they just sign Torry Holt when the Jagwires cut him after last season? There was at least a two-month period they could have signed Holt, so I don't get the perceived rush to bring in T.O. now. Why not bring back a long-time franchise hero instead of a long-time enemy?

Ultimately, I don't think Terrell Owens is going to be a Ram. The Rams didn't have to wait this long to sign a WR to bring what they think Owens could bring to this team. They could have signed Holt, or one of many other veteran receivers out there this spring. I'm not going to threaten to tear up my season tickets if the Rams do sign T.O., but I just don't think he's going to make a lot of difference here, either, if he does come.