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Owens Signs With Bengals; Bryant's Knee An Issue?
As Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio first reported, receiver Terrell Owens has agreed to terms with the Bengals. Both Florio and ESPN insider Adam Schefter are reporting that Owens will receive a base salary of $2 million with the ability to earn up to another $2 million in incentives.

The incentives are said to be based on receptions, yards and touchdowns.

For what it's worth, new teammate and fellow 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.

According to Bengals.com staffer Geoff Hobson, Owens, well known for his toxic locker room résumé, made an impression on owner/general manager Mike Brown during a free agency visit back in March.

“When he was here, I was surprised,” Brown said. “Privately he is not at all the way his public image is depicted. He’s a pleasant person, a quiet person. I found him engaging and I do trust my own eyes on this sort of thing. If he chooses to come here he could help our team. It’s going to be his decision.”

Brown also said that Carson Palmer, throwing routes to Owens in California, has reported that Owens "can still run."

"He changes field position; he makes long plays," Brown said.

Still, as of last Friday morning. the Bengals had no interest in signing the 36-year-old Owens. But after agent Drew Rosenhaus extended a feeler, the Bengals began to re-evaluate their health at wide receiver and continued to hear positive feedback about Owens from Palmer and Ochocinco.

The Bengals apparently decided to make an offer Monday morning after head coach Marvin Lewis emerged from a meeting with a coaching staff that nearly opted for Owens back in March during free agency.

At the time Antonio Bryant won a close call because of his age (29) and received a four-year, $28 million contract. But when Bryant’s injured knee flared up the last couple of weeks during last month’s workouts and he had to be backed off during a mandatory mini-camp where he struggled, Hobson reports the Bengals began to re-think some options.

Bryant’s knee apparently looked good when the Bengals visited him recently in Arizona and the hope is he’ll be able to produce at his career 15.3-yards per catch average while being rested in spots. Now, however, Florio is reporting that Bryant is a strong candidate to land on the Physically Unable to Perform list to start training camp.

A source tells Florio it appears 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 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.

There has been some scuttlebutt that the Bengals could cut the cord on Bryant; according to Florio 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.

Whatever the case, Owens is more than big-play insurance. The 6-3, 225-pound Owens, a six-time Pro Bowler, is a big, physical receiver with the third most touchdown catches of all time with 144 and a 14.9-yard average himself.

Worth noting: Hobson believes Owens' signing could ice the careers of young wideouts like Jerome Simpson and Dez Briscoe. And it would make it hard for second-year punt returner Quan Cosby to make it.

Stay tuned. ... I'll continue to follow up with more on the Bengals' plans for Owens and on Bryant's health as developments warrant.