49ers' Owens blows chance at free agency
John Czarnecki / FOX Sports
Posted: 46 minutes ago
San Francisco 49ers receiver Terrell Owens, who had planned to shop his services around the NFL as a free agent next month, won't be eligible to do so, FOX Sports NFL insider John Czarnecki has learned.
According to league sources, Owens and his agent, David English, missed the deadline to file the necessary paperwork with the 49ers and the NFL's management council in order to void the final three years of his contract. That means Owens' rights revert back to the 49ers and his only way out of San Francisco would be via a trade, the sources said.
Rather than seeing him leave and getting nothing in return, the 49ers can now field trade offers for Owens, who has had a contentious relationship with quarterback Jeff Garcia in San Francisco.
The Ravens, Eagles, Falcons and Buccaneers were among the teams believed to be interested in Owens as a free agent. Whether any would be willing to make a trade offer for him remains to be seen.
A Cleveland radio station has reported that wide receiver/return specialist Dennis Northcutt is in a similar predicament with the Browns. Northcutt had signed a seven-year contract with the Browns in 2000, but the final three years of the deal were supposed to be voidable if he had reached specific performance targets. But since the proper paperwork hadn't been filed in time, the Browns were reportedly going to hold Northcutt to the terms of the full contract.
John Czarnecki / FOX Sports
Posted: 46 minutes ago
San Francisco 49ers receiver Terrell Owens, who had planned to shop his services around the NFL as a free agent next month, won't be eligible to do so, FOX Sports NFL insider John Czarnecki has learned.
According to league sources, Owens and his agent, David English, missed the deadline to file the necessary paperwork with the 49ers and the NFL's management council in order to void the final three years of his contract. That means Owens' rights revert back to the 49ers and his only way out of San Francisco would be via a trade, the sources said.
Rather than seeing him leave and getting nothing in return, the 49ers can now field trade offers for Owens, who has had a contentious relationship with quarterback Jeff Garcia in San Francisco.
The Ravens, Eagles, Falcons and Buccaneers were among the teams believed to be interested in Owens as a free agent. Whether any would be willing to make a trade offer for him remains to be seen.
A Cleveland radio station has reported that wide receiver/return specialist Dennis Northcutt is in a similar predicament with the Browns. Northcutt had signed a seven-year contract with the Browns in 2000, but the final three years of the deal were supposed to be voidable if he had reached specific performance targets. But since the proper paperwork hadn't been filed in time, the Browns were reportedly going to hold Northcutt to the terms of the full contract.
