Do the Bills try to re-sign Owens or let him walk after 1 year?

[Jerry Jabber]

I know it's early in the season, but is this a one and done year for Owens with the Bills? I hope that's not the case. In the Bucs game, we finally got a glimpse of what is possible with having 2 stellar WR's and a good run game. So far, Edwards is looking good this season and IMO Edwards will have a breakout year, mainly due to having Evans & Owens to throw to. I would hope the Bills would sign Owens to a 3 year extension and will have a great offense for years to come.

[Glass To The Arson]

its way too early for owens and us to say

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

Walk.

[Lofton80]

Too early!

[dib]

buh-bye

[LABills08]

Unless we go to the playoffs I think he leaves. I don't think it is as cut in stone as many might think, if he performs well and there are no other offers out there again, he might want another pay check.

 

I know this board thinks Steve Johnson is the second coming, but unless Hardy steps up, I imagine the Bills will be in the market for another receiver, whether it be TO or someone else.

[NobesBLO13]

I don't think he wants to come back. I think he wants to be in a big spotlight big city type team. I would say Miami if Parcells wasn't running things.

[Saint Doug]

I say let him walk. This team is much too brittle for distractions. You can almost feel the beginning of rumblings from that volcano. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he was cut mid-season if he begins to act up. For what he is giving us right now, we have other talented receivers waiting in line to do the same job, if not better. He was supposed to, at the very least, open up the game for Lee and we have yet to see this.

[mrags]

I personally have always liked TO. So I may be biased but I say lock him up for 2 years the second he recieves either his 10th TD, or 1000yrds. I think the 2nd WR position is key to this offense(obvious right?). If you let TO start to think he can sign with another team he may leave. The team Im expecting to make a big play for him after this year might be the Giants. They would be a perfect fit. TO gets his SuperBowl contending team before he hangs em up and the Giants get back another weapon for Eli. Mark it down, I called it here.

[JStranger76]

We DO NOT have other recievers waiting in line to do the same job, and I know you're specifically thinking of Steve Johnson. The Bills would be wise to try and keep him for another year or two while Hardy works his way back learning from Owens....Johnson can MAYBE take over for Reed next year......MAYBE.

[Mr. T]

After only two games TO is already showing signs of the old TO. With a very young and upcoming group of players that will begin to wear on them negatively. I really am beginning to feel very good about the difference Van Pelt is making in the play calling. If Hardy can come back soon and develope decently during the course of the year I would not be very surprised if the Bills let TO and traveling roadshow hit the road at the end of the year. The only way TO will be happy is if he continues to get the ball thrown his way and he scores at least 9 more TDs. If that happens he'll demand a "BIG" raise with a long term contract. Not what the Bills need.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

TO is THE difference on this offense. Re-sign him, or find some other receiver that commands the double-team.

[bills_fan_in_raleigh]

After only two games TO is already showing signs of the old TO. With a very young and upcoming group of players that will begin to wear on them negatively. I really am beginning to feel very good about the difference Van Pelt is making in the play calling. If Hardy can come back soon and develope decently during the course of the year I would not be very surprised if the Bills let TO and traveling roadshow hit the road at the end of the year. The only way TO will be happy is if he continues to get the ball thrown his way and he scores at least 9 more TDs. If that happens he'll demand a "BIG" raise with a long term contract. Not what the Bills need.

I think the Media is making more of TOP comments than he has actually done. I see him as a positive factor rigth now pushing the coaches to go for it, letting Trent know the cb is biting etc. Yeah he does seem to be pouting on the sidelines but I see that more on his failures than on anything else. He is doing a decent job blocking and getting in the way on running plays and I see AVp looking for more ways to get him the ball (reverse last week)

 

Answering the question right now its too soon to tell if we bring him back next year I think our interest and TOs will depend on how the rest of the season goes.

[SouthernMan]

I don't know what it is y'all are seeing that makes you want him back.

 

Let preface this by saying that I'm in his corner - I really like T.O. - I'm a fan and had been excited about him as our #2.

 

But....would love it if he were more than just a shadow of his former self.

 

Too me, he looks very slowwwwwww - like he's out for Sunday jog. I don't see the quick burst or much in the way of leaving his cover man in the dust.

 

And it's not as if he's Mr. Dependable in the pass catching department. He let what should have been an easy catch (for a top tier WR) go right through his hands. Another one that got away was the bobbled ball in the end zone. Coulda had it.

 

The only thing keeping T.O. as a #2 is his experience and savvy and use of physicallity against lesser DBs. I predict it won't be long before opposing D's stop doubling him, freeing a DB for other support.

 

If Johnson or Hardy aren't ready to make the jump to the #2 WR, maybe there'll be a good pickup in FA - a la Randy Moss.

 

I think this season will be the end of the road for T.O.

[rstencel]

Unless we go to the playoffs I think he leaves. I don't think it is as cut in stone as many might think, if he performs well and there are no other offers out there again, he might want another pay check.

 

I know this board thinks Steve Johnson is the second coming, but unless Hardy steps up, I imagine the Bills will be in the market for another receiver, whether it be TO or someone else.

 

OK, lets not be ridiculous. Yes several people on the boards, including me, would like to see Steve get more opportunities. I am not aware of anyone claiming he is a top flight receiver though. Just someone who has some potential, with descent height that the bench and players ahead of him for 3rd receiver spot don't have.

 

Find it amazing that if anyone pushes to get a bench player some looks, that some members always seem to twist that into something like this. Not sure why it is considered a sin to hope young player on team can get opportunities.

 

Now if there is someone on the team that would hope to step up and replace Owens next year, would hope that would be Hardy. He hasn't shown anything yet, and is not healthy I know. He was very raw out of college and didn't know how to run routes properly. With the time spent on team, and hopefully a full training camp next year, he has the raw talent to be a good number 2 receiver if he comes around. That being said, I am not saying that he is Better than TO, just would like to see him get some opportunities, and think he has potential.

 

Now if you talk about player on the current roster who could be developed into starter who else is there. Hardy is on pup. Reid already had a few opportunities and bombed, and don't really see anyone else with any real upside to eventually be a starter at receiver. So for that reason, can see why people would mention him as a possible next year.

 

Would be nice if Steve was able to grow into a top flight WR, but hoping he sees the field more, or wins the number 3 job from Reid is not exactly the same thing as calling for him to replace TO, or saying he is the 2nd coming.

[pBills]

Walk.

 

 

Why? Just curious.

[BillsWatch]

Evans is not going to be teaching Hardy or Johnson route running so if we need another WR to step up, it will need to be Owens who who teach and show them the little extras this year. Evans as a WR appears to be a bigger Parish with hands or a Peerless with more consistency rather than a WR who will take over games able to do all kinds of routes well.

 

The choice to stay or go will be up to TO - if he can handle games where game plan is not to constantly go to him and has a reasonable salary request for next contract he'll stay otherwise he'll just move on taking credit for any improvement or saying he all he could do in Buffalo.

 

I think TO wants to beat Jerry Rice's TD record and this means having enough time left in league and catching enough TDs to do this.

[Cynical]

One and done for Owens.

 

IIRC, Owens and his agent have already made some noise before the season started about signing Owens to a longer a deal.

The Bills said no.

 

The bigger question is: why would the Bills even want him for more than a single year?

 

Owens was a marketing move that solved a performance problem (at least for the short term).

 

If the Bills produce a winning season this year, the demand for season tickets will remain high.

This will negate the need for TO from a marketing standpoint, and TO walks.

 

From a performance standpoint, the Bills have 2 second year WRs. IMHO, they are willing to see how they play out, especially Hardy. By the end of the year, if Hardy looks like he is showing progress, I would expect Hardy to become the #2 WR, and TO walks.

 

From a financial standpoint, if TO has a productive season, I can imagine TO and his agent looking for a major increase in salary. IMHO, I do not see the Bills sinking another $7-8M+/yr into a 36 year old player on the downside of his career.

 

If the Bills produce a losing season, it will be moot. I doubt TO wants to be part of a rebuilding team, even if the rebuilding curve should be short.

[Fan in San Diego]

I say let him walk. This team is much too brittle for distractions. You can almost feel the beginning of rumblings from that volcano. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he was cut mid-season if he begins to act up. For what he is giving us right now, we have other talented receivers waiting in line to do the same job, if not better. He was supposed to, at the very least, open up the game for Lee and we have yet to see this.

 

TO has opened up the running game, can't wait to see what ML can do with this new found space.

[billsfreak]

2 games, 4 catches, less than 100 yards, 1 dropped perfectly thrown ball, and 1 td. Way too early, but at this point if you had to make a decision, let him walk.