DMN reports Owens, Cowboys have a deal

TERRELL OWENS EDITOR'S NOTE: This article is a Dallas Morning News original article, written by JeanJacque Taylor for Saturday's DMN sports section.

IRVING - The Dallas Cowboys have reached an agreement in principle with star wide receiver Terrell Owens, two sources said Friday night.

The sources said a formal announcement regarding the freeagent receiver is expected in the next few days. The sources also said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and coach Bill Parcells are scheduled to return to Dallas today.

Jones and c l u b spokesman Rich Dalr y m p l e could not be reached for comm e n t . O w e n s ' agent, Drew Rosenhaus, could not be reached for comment.

Owe n s , 32, spent the last two seasons with t h e Ph i l a d e l phia Eagles and scored 20 touchdowns in 21 games. But the Eagles deactivated the 32-year-old receiver for the final nine games of last season for conduct detrimental to the team. He frequently criticized club officials and quarterback Donovan McNabb because he was unhappy with his contract.

Still, Owens finished the season with 47 receptions for 763 yards and six touchdowns.

Owens would give the Cowboys the type of dynamic receiver they have not had since a neck injury forced Michael Irvin to retire after the 1999 season. Until last season, Owens had caught at least 77 passes for at least 1,100 yards each of the last five seasons. He has played in the Pro Bowl five of the last six seasons.

Dallas hasn't had a Pro Bowl receiver since Irvin in 1995 and has had just one 1,000-yard receiver since 2000.

The addition of Owens should help an offense that struggled to score touchdowns at times last season. Dallas failed to score more than 14 points in six games, losing each of them. With Owens in the lineup drawing double coverage, it should create more oneon one opportunities for receiver Terry Glenn and tight end Jason Witten.

And with Owens occupying at least one safety, that means one fewer defender in the running game that Julius Jones has to be concerned about, which should make him more productive.

Owens will be playing for his third team in four seasons because he can be toxic within a locker room. He has feuded with his last two quarterbacks - Jeff Garcia and McNabb - and each quarterback had a Pro Bowl on his resume.

Owe n s h a s t h r o w n s i d e l i n e t e m p e r tantrums when he d o e s n ' t think he's getting the b a l l e n o u g h , and those tantrums have been directed at c o a c h e s and teamm a t e s . However, there has

n e v e r been any question about his work ethic or production.

The Cowboys are betting that Parcells can handle Owens and prevent him from becoming a problem in the locker room.

Owens' problems in Philadelphia began when he wanted his seven-year, $49 million contract restructured after he caught 80 passes for 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns to help Philadelphia reach the Super Bowl in the first year of the deal.

Owens became Public Enemy No. 1 to many Cowboys fans in 2000, when as a member of the San Francisco 49ers, he sprinted to midfield and celebrated a touchdown on the star at Texas Stadium.

In 2004, Owens turned in one of the finest performances by a receiver against the Cowboys, when he caught six passes for 134 yards and touchdowns of 59, 27 and 16 yards in a 4921 victory on Monday Night Football.