Terrell Owens Released by the Dallas Cowboys

It’s a strange moment in the career for Terrell Owens. The turbulent wide receiver has been a dominating receiver in the NFL, averaging 78.3 receiving yards and 12.7 touchdowns and 1,195 receiving yards while donning the Cowboys colors. But then Jerry Jones and America’s Team decided to go in a different direction by releasing the talented wide receiver.

So how did this come about?

Simple. Jerry Jones made a strong play at the NFL trade deadline by acquiring Roy Williams from Detroit. Williams has long been seen as a younger Owens, mimicking his brutal yards-after-the-catch playmaking style. Williams had one of his best years in 2006 with a strong campaign of 82 catches, 1,310 yards and seven TD’s. Williams certainly replaces the void left by Owens and will continue to compliment the best receiver Dallas has on the roster. Yes, I’m talking about Jason Witten.

Cowboys bettors don’t have to worry about their beloved team just yet. With Marion Barber, Felix Jones, Sam Hurd, Williams and Tony Romo, the Cowboys have plenty of offensive weapons. The real question, which will be answered closer to the NFL season, is whether Tony Romo actually has the leadership to win a big game.

The imminent question for the NFL, however, is where Owens will end up. Scratch San Francisco off your list. Philadelphia doesn’t have the patience to galvanize Owens by admitting they made a mistake in releasing him. San Francisco would tear down the stadium if management even blinked at Owens.

So where to? The Redskins have already come out and said that they don’t want a piece of the action. The 35 year-old receiver was still productive, catching 1,052 yards and 10 scores last season while being plagued by a case of the dropsies.

My two leading candidates to emerge as contenders in the Owens market are the Tennessee Titans. Despite losing Albert Haynesworth, the Titans remain needful at the receiver position. Tennessee was near the bottom of the league in total receiving yards, tallying just 176.2 yards per game through the air. Are they willing to take the chance of blowing up their locker room by adding the explosive receiver?

The other team that is on the radar is the Oakland Raiders. Obviously Al Davis is viably insane, and desperate to turn around a team that has been horrific in the past few years. Davis is still committed to excellence, but is he so committed that he’ll overlook all the downsides of bringing in Owens? Besides, let’s face it, the Raiders’ offense is pitiful and it’s only a matter of time before Owens causes a stink in the locker room as he watches the Raiders dwindle to nothing. Still, Oakland is seeking desperate assistance through the air after averaging just 148.1 receiving yards per game.

The final team that I think might make a splash out of sheer desperation are the Jacksonville Jaguars. Ranking just 15th in the league with 208.3 yards per game through the air, the Jags rumbled through the 2008 campaign without a true number one receiver. Don’t be stunned if the Jaguars make a pitch to bring in Owens in an effort to justify David Garrard’s massive contract.