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Bengals make pitch to land Owens

CINCINNATI, Ohio — The Cincinnati Bengals, who already have a controversial receiver in Chad Ochocinco, are trying to sign another, with president Mike Brown saying Monday they are interested in Terrell Owens.

Owens has been a six-time National Football League all-star receiver but with his talents have come controversial comments, criticism of teammates and coaches and often bitter breakups.

But Owens, 36, and Ochocinco, 32, are close friends and both have the same agent, Drew Rosenhaus, who is in talks with the Bengals, according to Brown, who says Owens is in position to decide if he wants to be in Cincinnati or not.

“It’s up to him,” Brown said. “We are talking to him. We have some interest.”

Brown said he liked what he saw of Owens during a March visit that ended with the bengals instead signing receiver Antonio Bryant.

“I found him polite,” Brown said. “We like him as a player.”

Owens has worked out with Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer in California and Palmer has made positive comments about the receiver’s skills, Brown said, and the Bengals have more interest as they try to build a Super Bowl contender.

“If we’re healthy we can be a team that can play with anyone,” Brown said. “We have ambitions to have that one golden year. You always do when you start out. But this year more than most in recent times we have a better shot at it.”

Brown said Palmer’s comments were a key factor considering that in past NFL stops, Owens has had rough comments about passers, including San Francisco’s Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb in Philadelphia and Tony Romo in Dallas.