Ravens Aquire Terrell Owens

[ALinChainz]

Ravens acquire receiver Terrell Owens


March 4, 2004

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Four-time Pro Bowl receiver Terrell Owens was traded to the Baltimore Ravens by San Francisco on Thursday after a paperwork error prevented him from becoming a free agent.

Owens, who had quarreled with coaches, teammates and opponents during the last few seasons, had been given permission to seek a deal after his agent failed to file a document voiding the final years of his contract.

He gives Baltimore the top receiver it has been lacking for years, even in 2000, when it won the Super Bowl.

The Ravens scheduled a news conference for later in the afternoon.

The Ravens gave up their 2nd round selection, the 51st pick overall.

[ALinChainz]

The Eagles were the other team in the running for him, but would not part with their first round pick.

[Bob_R]

Oh good now he and Ray Lewis can do drugs together.

[Troy]

Two things:

How does the NFL salary cap work? How can you trade for a draft pick? I take it, it's not like the NBA where the numbers have to add up.

And who's going to throw to T.O.? Wright, Redman, & Boller don't seem to be that great.

I think TO's numbers will drop even more this season.

[ALinChainz]

As long as they can fit T.O. under their cap, Baltimore can make the deal. They are like $20 million under so no problem there and with Owens' screw up on voiding the last 3 years, he will be scheduled to make $5.6, something like that. Baltimore has the room to redo his deal if they want. They may want him to play under his current deal to see how things will work out.

Boller is their guy, no question. he got hurt last year and they got on a roll with Wright. They may bring Wright back, but as the #2 guy.

[Little Texan]

They traded T.O., their best reciever and best player, for a second round draft pick? Who was the genius in the SF front office behind this deal? I would have at least demanded a first round pick and a player for him. What a stupid trade from a SF standpoint, and a sweet deal for Baltimore.

[ALinChainz]

On the surface, it sure looks like a steal for the Ravens. I guess it depends on what Owens you get. If the guy would just shut up and play.

There aren't many teams that will give up a 1st rounder for anything. Especially in this years draft, where there are a boat load of receivers, and good ones in the draft. That had to be part of it. Even Philly, who needs receivers REAL BAD, wouldn't give up a #1, and they had more money under the cap than Baltimore, before signing Kearse.

[Troy]

Seriously though... Is Boller going to be that much better w/ TO??? I mean the guy had a couple games where he passed for 90 yards. TO will not be up for that. If he had a problem with Garcia, he's going to hate Boller.

Which boggles my mind because wasn't Billick the game guy who ran the '98 Vikings offense with Cunningham, Moss, Carter, & Reed?

I don't care what anybody says, the Ravens need a quality QB. They better give Bulger a call!

[ALinChainz]

As a rookie. Now that he has started and played some, he'll have this entire off-season to work with the offense, mini camp, etc.

They will still have a stout running game though so, he won't be Marino, but in my opinion, he should be at least noticably improved. He hasn't had especially good receivers besides Heap to throw to either. Marcus Robinson had one giant game, and 2 decent ones out of the whole season and Taylor has never stepped up.

They did make the playoffs, so we'll see.

[Troy]

I guess I'll believe it when I see it.

[ALinChainz]

Nothing's ever a guarantee. Like they say, that's why they play the games. Big thing will be to keep Lewis out of the clink.

[Troy]

I already miss football. I'm actually looking forward to seeing a few NFL Europe games.

[ALinChainz]

You know it. That should be next month I think. It isn't for everyone, but I watch.

I also catch any USFL games they put on ESPN Classic too. That's some good stuff, old school players.

[Mama's Fool]

Him and Marcus should be a good combe. Provided Jamal can play, Boller should be fine. He's got one hell of an arm. Needs to get the attitude in check.

[DLR7884]

TO playing for the Ravens just is another reason why I can hate them even more.

I hate those dope snorting, murdering thugs.

DLR7884
Innocent my ass.

[Troy]

Originally posted by ALinChainz
You know it. That should be next month I think. It isn't for everyone, but I watch.

I also catch any USFL games they put on ESPN Classic too. That's some good stuff, old school players.

I've watched a few of those lately. The last one I saw was Steve Young vs. Jim Kelly. I can't remember the team names though.

My buddy still has his "Portland Breakers" net hat. Pretty cool.

I'm having a hard time with the AFL games though. It's cool but, there's something weird about them.

[Troy]

And now TO might not report to Ravens camp...

Article here (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=1752478&partnersite=espn)

PHILADELPHIA -- Even though he was traded to Baltimore, Terrell Owens says he is unsure whether he will report to the Ravens and still hopes to catch passes from Donovan McNabb in Philadelphia next season.


One day after the San Francisco 49ers sent the four-time Pro Bowl receiver to the Ravens, Owens told ESPN's Andrea Kremer he's not happy with the deal and plans to file a grievance.


"This is about me getting a fair shot at a team that I want to go to. Baltimore is definitely one of my choices, but Philly was my 'A' choice, my priority on my list," Owens said in an interview with Kremer late Friday night. "I talked to my agent earlier and we're going to file a grievance for the situation and we're going to hope for the best possible situation."


Chad Steele, a spokesman for the Ravens, said Saturday: "We have a valid contract with Terrell and we expect him to play for the Ravens." He declined to answer any other questions.


Desperate for a No. 1 receiver, the Eagles reportedly agreed to a contract with Owens that included a signing bonus believed to be worth about $10 million. But the volatile receiver was traded to the Ravens for a second-round pick Thursday before Philadelphia could complete a trade with the 49ers.


Eagles president Joe Banner told reporters on Saturday that while he didn't believe San Francisco "handled it the right way" by trading Owens to Baltimore after giving the Eagles permission to talk to Owens' agent, Banner didn't feel the Eagles had much recourse.


"I don't think what San Francisco did was against league rules," Banner said. "But I'm very disappointed that we were given permission to work something out and then they made this trade without giving us the chance to talk about anything else."


"What everybody did was certainly legal," Banner added. "San Francisco did control his rights and did have the right to trade him."


San Francisco general manager Terry Donahue said Eagles coach Andy Reid offered a fifth-round pick and wide receiver James Thrash for Owens.


"We had no interest in that whatsoever," Donahue said.


Donahue said he countered with a list of other players he'd want for Owens, but the teams couldn't agree on a deal.


"I told Andy we were going to move really quick and that we had a second-round pick and that if he had any further interest to call me back," Donahue said.


"I'm just as shocked as everyone else," said Owens in a Baltimore Sun report. "We were on the cusp of having something worked out with the Eagles and then the unfortunate happened within a matter of minutes."


Two Eagles sources told the Philadelphia Inquirer that the team reached a financial agreement with Owens and were about to contact the 49ers when they heard about the trade to the Ravens on television.


The sources said the Eagles had been pleasantly surprised at the financial deal, since Owens had reportedly been seeking a signing bonus equal to or exceeding $18 million -- the same bonus Randy Moss received from Minnesota in 2000, the Inquirer reported.


"I want to go where I feel comfortable and where I can be happy. I don't want to go anywhere where someone just trades me off to," Owens said. I feel like I'm entitled as a free agent to have my choice. Obviously I want to get paid, but at the same time, I want to get happy, too."


Owens told Kremer, "He [Donahue] knows he doesn't want to see me on an NFC team."


Owens failed to become a free agent this week when he missed a deadline last month to void the final three seasons of his contract. Joseph already filed a grievance with the NFL Management Council through the players' union in an effort to resolve that matter.


A source in the NFL office told the Inquirer that Joseph has not yet filed a grievance in protest of Owens' trade to Baltimore, and that the league considers the trade a done deal.


Owens contends he received no notification about the date change that resulted in his lost free agency, and isn't being treated fairly by the NFL or the players' association.


"We're not idiots," Owens said. "This is something we've been waiting on. The 49ers have known that I was more than possibly going to void my contract. There's been a lot of backstabbing going on the last couple of years.''


Owens caught 80 passes for 1,102 yards and nine touchdowns last season -- his lowest totals since 1999. He has been selected to the last four Pro Bowls while feuding with teammates, coaches, the 49ers' front office and the media.


Owens is due to make $17.7 million in base salary over the next three seasons, including $5.3 million next year -- a relative bargain for one of the NFL's best receivers.


When asked by Kremer if he would report to the Ravens, Owens said, "at this point I can't say what I am going to do."


The Eagles had perhaps the league's worst starting receivers, Thrash and Todd Pinkston. The duo combined for just 85 catches and three TDs last season. In Philadelphia's 14-3 loss to Carolina in the NFC championship game, Thrash had one catch and Pinkston had none.


The Eagles, who have lost the conference title game the last three years, upgraded their defense by signing three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Jevon Kearse to a $66 million, eight-year deal. But they still need a top target for McNabb, who has openly campaigned for the team to acquire Owens.


Owens spent all eight of his NFL seasons with the 49ers, who drafted him in the third round in 1996.


He and Indianapolis' Marvin Harrison are the only receivers with more than 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns over the past four seasons.


Owens also is known for a series of on-field celebrations and off-field conflicts.


Two years ago, he pulled out a pen and signed a ball after scoring a touchdown in Seattle. He wasn't fined for the move but was severely chastised by commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who said he would be disciplined for future stunts.


Owens also precipitated a melee during a game by dancing on the Dallas Cowboys' star at midfield after scoring.


He threw a sideline tantrum during a game against Cleveland last season, and lost it again the following week against Minnesota, chewing out offensive coordinator Greg Knapp after the 49ers were stopped on a fourth-and-1 running play.

[rustoffa]

Maybe Ray will stab him.

[knuckleboner]

owens just wants his signing bonus. this is is a ploy to renegotiate. if i were the ravens, i'd tell him to fuck off. they've got his rigts for 3 years. i'd tell him, it's too bad his agent fucked his chance at a huge signing bonus and now he's stuck at 3 more years at clearly below market value. but that's the breaks.

he can either sit out those 3 years, and get paid dick, or he can play for the $5.4 mil this season. i'd tell him if he did a good job this season, we'd definitely consider renegotiating for the final 2 years. but if he wants to waste 3 years at home, be my guest.

[Troy]

I bet they'll re-negotiate after this season but try to low ball him because his numbers will go down. He'll most likely get close to 1,000 yards, but I think his td's will drop. I bet he won't get more than 5 this season.

[DLR7884]

I hope he's stuck in Baltimore and that they don't give him what he wants.

Fuck that crybaby.

He should have had a better agent.

DLR7884
Maybe that retard Master P. can be his agent.

[ALinChainz]

I hope so to. He cannot accept how bad he looks with the contract fuck-up. He is already a cancer in the Raven locker room and he isn't even in it yet.

Almost all the news I've seen has said the Player's Union will make the appeal, but that there is virtually no chance of the trade being over turned.

And Baltimore is ready to offer the exact same money that Philly was going to, and the Ravens are not obligated to.