Lions Need To Sign Terrell Owens

This year's salary doesn't matter.  We could sign TO to a big deal this year and not have it hurt us.  We can add a club option in case he does so well we don't want him jumping ship after the season to be with a winner.  So money wise, any argument isn't effective.  He is not going to want to sign a long term deal anyway.  He only made 6 million dollars last year for the Bills.  Even increasing an offer to 8 million a year doesn't make the team bankrupt.  As it stands right now, the Lions team salary is 105-110 million dollars, and this year's cap would have been around 128 million dollars.  We should take advantage of this off year as much as possible.

But we just signed Nate Burleson?  Doesn't that fill the need?  Look past Megatron and Burleson.  Bryant Johnson was better than many thought, but not an option at the slot.  Dennis Northcutt will probably be cut this off season in favor of giving Derrick Williams every chance to win the job.  That leaves a rookie who did not play well, Johnson, Johnson and Burleson.  TO can't play the slot, but Burleson can.  Burleson played in a West Coast style of offense the last few years, so the transition wouldn't be horrible.  Owens won't want to be a role player, but he being older should limit his outbursts.  I am an Owens supporter, and sure, he has done some stupid selfish stuff, but he isn't as bad as the press makes him seem.

What would we get with Owens?  We would get an older player in great shape ready to play every game whether he is hurt or not.  He can stretch a defense and take away more coverage away from Johnson.  He had pretty good statistics last season (55 receptions, 829 yards and 5 TDs) with an absolutely awful QB situation.  He would hold people accountable, even though he won't be everybody's friend.  He would sell tickets, jerseys and maybe have a Monday Night football game for the first time since 2001.  He would bring interest to the city and its NFL team.

So Mayhew, sign Owens and continue to rebuild the team.  Bring interest back to the team before it is lost forever.