TO picks the Bengals!

[Bengals1]

T.O. picks the Bengals
Posted by Mike Florio on July 27, 2010 5:33 PM ET

Well, it's happened. Receiver Terrell Owens has agreed to terms with the Bengals.

Per a league source, Owens will receive a base salary of $2 million. He can earn up to another $2 million in incentives.

(We reported it first, scooping even the OCNN, which put the word out several minutes after us.)

The source says that the incentives are based on receptions, yards, and touchdowns.

Given that the Bengals didn't really have a need at the position and in light of the franchise's reputation for being extremely careful with money, it's a good deal for Owens. He gets more than twice the veteran minimum for a player of his experience, and though the specific triggers for the $2 million are not yet known, it's our understanding that if he performs like he did last year in Buffalo (55 catches, 829 yards, five touchdowns), he'll earn most of the money.

That said, the decision to tie that much money to performance could create friction, if Owens isn't on the field as much as he believes he needs to be. But the Bengals likely know this, and the decision potentially reflects a concession that Antonio Bryant isn't going to be what they thought he was going to be.

[TheBurn]

Wide receiver Chad Ochocinco confirmed the news on his Twitter account with: "My homeboy is a Bengal all our games have been moved to pay-per-view."

Classic!

[TheBurn]

“You don’t realize how big this is for our team, the city, football,” The Ocho said. “Our offense is going to be unfair. How can you stop us? There are going to be some games (running back) Cedric Benson is going to be able to play without his cleats. I don’t think there has ever been a tandem like this.”

I agree with The Ocho. The offense could be scary good.
Having said that... when he says "tandem" he's talking about him and TO.
Does he know something about Antonio's health?

BTW, Clayton reporting that the Bengals' initial offer was $1.5M

[Bengals1]

Not good....

With T.O. in the fold, Antonio Bryant could be headed for PUP list
Posted by Mike Florio on July 27, 2010 5:49 PM ET

So what will the Bengals do, now that they've added Terrell Owens to a receiver depth chart that includes Chad Ochocinco and Antonio Bryant?

Per a league source, Bryant is a strong candidate to land on the Physically Unable to Perform list to start training camp. The source says that it's believed Bryant won't be ready to practice when camp opens, given lingering knee problems.

The move would open the door for Owens to earn a starting spot across from Chad Ochocinco, which would also make it easier for T.O. to reach all or most of the $2 million in performance-based incentives he is eligible to earn.

The Bengals signed Bryant to a four-year, $28 million contract in March, not long after T.O. visited the team. There has been some scuttlebutt that the Bengals could cut the cord on Bryant; much of that depends on the amount of money they'd lose by cutting him, versus the amount of additional money they'd avoid paying out by not having him around.

[mag359]

So what is his number going to be? Bryant has 81. Does he go 11 to stay with the one them? O r does he go 84 and be one close to Ocho?

[Benzoo]

So what is his number going to be? Bryant has 81. Does he go 11 to stay with the one them? O r does he go 84 and be one close to Ocho?

11 belongs to Shipley and Gresham has 84. I would guess he would get 15 or Matt Jones gets 15 and TO gets 18. Or wait until Simpson gets cut and free up 89.

[MeatHeadbengal]

I don't think he's too worried about what number he's going to wear.

Welp we have one of the best WR cores the NFL has ever seen... now what?

I hope it takes us all the way to the superbowl!!

[Deadcat]

Mike Golic and Mark Slareth still both picked the Ravens over us the the AFC Title. We swept them last year, brought back everyone worth bringing back, improved in ALL the areas we needed to, and they still are favored. No respect. They brought in Boldin, got older on an already old defense, their second round pick will retire before seeing the field, and they are still favored. No respect.

Part of me agrees with them based on our back to back winning seasons, but any other team and they stick with the team that won the previous year unless that took actions (or failed to take actions) and got worse. We did neither. No respect.

Now I want to break the Ravens. I can't wait to see T.O. do Ray Lewis's bird dance in the endzone after scoring against them. That will be awesome.

[mag359]

Mike Golic and Mark Slareth still both picked the Ravens over us the the AFC Title. We swept them last year, brought back everyone worth bringing back, improved in ALL the areas we needed to, and they still are favored. No respect. They brought in Boldin, got older on an already old defense, their second round pick will retire before seeing the field, and they are still favored. No respect.

Part of me agrees with them based on our back to back winning seasons, but any other team and they stick with the team that won the previous year unless that took actions (or failed to take actions) and got worse. We did neither. No respect.

Now I want to break the Ravens. I can't wait to see T.O. do Ray Lewis's bird dance in the endzone after scoring against them. That will be awesome.

Are they taking into the account that Reed might not be ready to go or even be worth a crap early in the season? Without an Ed Reed, I would like to see the Raven's D cover our WRs. Hell they could never cover them even Sans Bryant and TO.

[orange_black]

NOT having Bryant is big to me.

this TO signing only made me happy becuase he would be coming in as a 2nd/3rd WR ......

but if Bryant is indeed in bad shape, Im not very happy to be going with TO. It does exactly what I did NOT want to happen.... for TO to come in here and HAVE to produce and be "the man" (or #2 man anyways).

ugh....

someone convince me im being too pessimistic.

[Bengal Fan 76]

. Contrary to published reports, Bryant is not going to start the season on the physically unable to perform list (PUP). After the Bengals were satisfied with a checkup of Bryant's knee two weeks ago in Arizona, he'll be on the field Thursday morning for practice, which makes him ineligible for PUP.

Although Bryant rarely played the slot during his previous seven seasons in the league, the Bengals used him there this spring and liked what they saw.

"It's good because we can get all three guys on the field at the same time with Antonio able to go inside and outside," Bratkowski said.

Asked about there being only one ball to satisfy such a vocal and diverse group of weapons, The Ocho said, "That's for Coach Brat and Coach (Marvin) Lewis to figure out."

Bratkowksi already has.

"I think it's going to be fun. You win and everybody is happy," he said. "These guys are veterans who have been around and know how to play the game. I think there's going to be a lot of energy from these guys. They're confident, self-assuured, outgoing. Life is too short to worry about all that other stuff. Let's play. Let's win."

[orange_black]

thats good to hear.

this whole ocho/bryant/TO thing feels eeerily similar to what the Miami Heat did.

I have a gut feeling this is going to work out in an awesome fashion!

[Deadcat]

NOT having Bryant is big to me.

this TO signing only made me happy becuase he would be coming in as a 2nd/3rd WR ......

but if Bryant is indeed in bad shape, Im not very happy to be going with TO. It does exactly what I did NOT want to happen.... for TO to come in here and HAVE to produce and be "the man" (or #2 man anyways).

ugh....

someone convince me im being too pessimistic.

I don't think any #2 has to be "the man." And Chad and T.O. will compliment each other. Bryant was slated to be our slot receiver. I imagine this was the plan all along, like Lebron leaving Cleveland. My guess is T.O. held out wanting to play a bigger part in an offense. After weighing his options however, he decided this was the best way to be a part of an explosive offense and winning team again. If Bryant is hurt, that puts more pressure on Shipley to produce early, not T.O. And honestly, I'd like to see what Shipley could do.

[skycruiser]

i love love LOVE THIS!!!!

-if anything, having the extra ego and pressure on chad might make him reach that next level. they'll push each other, purely based on ego alone.
-carson himself endorsed it, at that point i was on board
-chad and TO get along OFF the field, which is very important
-TO's still one of the best downfield blocking WR's in the game, we didn't ahve that last year with coles
-how are you going to double cover chad and to, and stop the run game? answer: YOU'RE NOT!
-gives us hella depth at WR
-chad on one side, TO on the other, caldwell in the slot, gresham at TE beside sugartits, benson in the backfield...now if we just had someone who can deliver the football!!!!!

combine this with our top 5 defense and i'm screamin CHAMPIONSHIP!!!

[orange_black]

i love love LOVE THIS!!!!

-if anything, having the extra ego and pressure on chad might make him reach that next level. they'll push each other, purely based on ego alone.
-carson himself endorsed it, at that point i was on board
-chad and TO get along OFF the field, which is very important
-TO's still one of the best downfield blocking WR's in the game, we didn't ahve that last year with coles
-how are you going to double cover chad and to, and stop the run game? answer: YOU'RE NOT!
-gives us hella depth at WR
-chad on one side, TO on the other, caldwell in the slot, gresham at TE beside sugartits, benson in the backfield...now if we just had someone who can deliver the football!!!!!

combine this with our top 5 defense and i'm screamin CHAMPIONSHIP!!!

CROWN OUR ASSES!

[Bengals1]

T.O. finagles 81 from Antonio Bryant
Posted by Mike Florio on July 28, 2010 10:16 PM ET

Bengals receiver Antonio Bryant was assigned No. 81 after he joined the team in March; last year, Bryant wore 89 with the Bucs. The newest member of the team, Terrell Owens, has worn No. 81 for all of his NFL career.

And so the two teammates have worked out a deal that will allow T.O. to continue to wear his signature number.

Warren Sapp of NFL Network reports that an unknown amount of money was paid by Owens to Bryant, with some of the cash going to charity.

Coincidentally, Bryant once wore Owens' No. 81 with the 49ers, the team with which T.O. started his career.

[TheBurn]

-Michael Fabiano / nfl.com:

...don't forget about fellow veteran wideout Antonio Bryant. I talked to Warren Sapp this week, and he told me that Bryant is fine and wants to compete for a chance to start as well.

[Ryan the Bengal Fan]

Sounds like 2 got off to a great start, missed his red eye this morning so won't be in until late. I doubt he practices today.

Oh and AB has been seen wearing 81 at practice this morning.

[mag359]

I want to see 3 WR sets with Ocho, 2, AB, and Gresham. Gresham could be TE or even motion back to FB to set up the running game and play action. How does a DC account for our top 3 WRs, as well as Benson and Gresham? A De would automatically have to be in Nickle. So you would have a nickle back having to cover one of either TO or AB and a FS not knowing who to shade. That leaves a LB or safety on Gresham and the rest having to worry about whether to blitz or stop Benson pounding the rock. Awesome!

[jmble]

Shouldn't we officially start referring to To as Dos? It makes about as much sense as Ocho Cinco.

Ocho Cinco and Dos. I kind of like it.

[Ryan the Bengal Fan]

I like it Jmble. AB, COC & Dos, the first 4 letters of the alphabet.

And Mag, I totally agree, how do you cover that? What I haven't heard people talk to much about is the effect this will have on the running game. Teams are going to have to play more cover 2 against this team and that will help the running game immensely. Defenses will not be able to stack the box anymore and hell we ran well against that last year, imagine what they can do this year with less guys in the box.

I just pray that Gresham gets signed and that he and/or Coffman come through as good receiving threats across the middle and up the seam. The seam always seemed to be open last year, but Ben "butter fingers" Coates couldn't catch the damn ball.

[orange_black]

but Ben "butter fingers" Coates couldn't catch the damn ball.

THAT, my friend, is an insult to butter fingers all over the world.

[skycruiser]

Shouldn't we officially start referring to To as Dos? It makes about as much sense as Ocho Cinco.

Ocho Cinco and Dos. I kind of like it.

NICE!!!!!!!!

[TheBurn]

Looks like AB is going with number 83...

Antonio Bryant battles cornerback Morgan Trent on Thursday's first day of training camp. (AP photo)

[mag359]

Shouldn't we officially start referring to To as Dos? It makes about as much sense as Ocho Cinco.

Ocho Cinco and Dos. I kind of like it.

Two would be Dos in espanol.

To would actually be A.

Is Antonio mexican enough to leave alone?