The Eagles should be no more than 48 hours away from finding out if there's still any chance for Terrell Owens to line up as their No. 1 wide receiver next season.
Two lawyers representing the NFL Players Association - Richard Berthelsen and Jeffrey Kessler - will argue Owens' case to become a free agent this morning in front of Stephen Burbank, a University of Pennsylvania law professor. Gregg Levy will present the NFL's case that because Owens failed to meet the deadline to inform the San Francisco 49ers that he planned to void his contract, the March 4 trade between the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens should stand. Owens and his agent say they never received proper notification that the filing deadline was moved up.
Burbank's decision could come as soon as tomorrow. If Owens is declared a free agent, he will likely sign the deal he agreed to with the Eagles just before the 49ers traded him to the Ravens for a second-round draft pick. In that case, the Ravens would get their second-round pick back, and the 49ers would receive no compensation.
Burbank also could overturn the trade based on the argument that because Owens has three years remaining on his contract, the blown deadline applies only to 2004, and thus the 49ers traded two years of a contract that was no longer valid. In that case, the 49ers would again have to deal Owens.
In other news, free-agent cornerback Bobby Taylor made his scheduled visit to Cincinnati last night, while former Eagles teammate Troy Vincent pondered where he would play next season. Vincent's agent, Linda Bodley, told a reporter in Cincinnati last night that the five-time Pro Bowl cornerback will reveal his destination today.
Vincent has narrowed his choices to Kansas City, Cincinnati and Buffalo, the teams he has visited the last two weeks.
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/sports/8187930.htm
Two lawyers representing the NFL Players Association - Richard Berthelsen and Jeffrey Kessler - will argue Owens' case to become a free agent this morning in front of Stephen Burbank, a University of Pennsylvania law professor. Gregg Levy will present the NFL's case that because Owens failed to meet the deadline to inform the San Francisco 49ers that he planned to void his contract, the March 4 trade between the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens should stand. Owens and his agent say they never received proper notification that the filing deadline was moved up.
Burbank's decision could come as soon as tomorrow. If Owens is declared a free agent, he will likely sign the deal he agreed to with the Eagles just before the 49ers traded him to the Ravens for a second-round draft pick. In that case, the Ravens would get their second-round pick back, and the 49ers would receive no compensation.
Burbank also could overturn the trade based on the argument that because Owens has three years remaining on his contract, the blown deadline applies only to 2004, and thus the 49ers traded two years of a contract that was no longer valid. In that case, the 49ers would again have to deal Owens.
In other news, free-agent cornerback Bobby Taylor made his scheduled visit to Cincinnati last night, while former Eagles teammate Troy Vincent pondered where he would play next season. Vincent's agent, Linda Bodley, told a reporter in Cincinnati last night that the five-time Pro Bowl cornerback will reveal his destination today.
Vincent has narrowed his choices to Kansas City, Cincinnati and Buffalo, the teams he has visited the last two weeks.
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/sports/8187930.htm
