Bills fans were already pleasantly surprised to see that Terrell Owens was participating in the Bills offseason conditioning program, as the dynamic receiver arrived at One Bills Drive earlier this week. But according to Owens, his offseason attendance will continue come next month as well when OTAs begin.
"OTAs, I'm there," said Owens who stated his comments about not attending voluntary workouts was inaccurate. "I've never been absent from any OTAs that a team has been a part of. When I was in San Francisco and Philly, we didn't really have OTAs, but the last couple of teams that I've been with that's when they started the OTA program, so I've been a part of those, and I have yet to miss one."
Owens in reference to the report in which he was quoted as saying he would not report for voluntary workouts explains that he actually stated the opposite.
"I informed him that I've never really come to any optional, voluntary camps," said Owens. "I said that doesn't mean I'm not going to show up. I know at some point I have to get acclimated with the system, come here with some of the guys."
One of those guys has been Trent Edwards. Buffalo's quarterback and top free agent acquisition have been working on routes the past few days in an effort to get on the same page.
"The last couple of days, we've gotten some throwing in," said Owens. "Trent was out there (Wednesday) and (Thursday) some of the other guys were out there. I'm just trying to get familiarized with the offense and the signals and things like that."
Owens said Edwards throws a nice ball, but admitted it is early and they have a long way to go before things are nailed down tight.
"I'm looking forward to getting to minicamps, OTAs, and training camp is really where it all begins," he said.
Owens attendance from this point forward will be steady right up until OTAs beginning in May.
"I'm going to work with my receiving coach and with Coach Jauron with my schedule," Owens said. "I already told him, we're already on track where there will be days and weeks that I'll be coming in, two or three days here, two or three days there, and so even before everything was even reported about me not showing up I had already talked to Coach Jauron about those things, so that's why I really wasn't worried about anything that was reported."
Owens' personal trainer Buddy Prim, who is based in Atlanta has also been in town observing his client in the Bills' training setting.
"He's been here the last couple of days, and I'm still doing a lot of things that the Bills here are doing," Owens said. "We went out on the field and ran routes, and going through the offense a little bit. In the weight room, I do the things that fit me."
At the same time Owens fully realizes the expectations that come with 139 career touchdowns in an illustrious 13-year career, which is why he's confident the preparations he's making now for the 2009 campaign with his new teammates will serve him in meeting and perhaps even exceeding those expectations.
"Any time that I've been a part of a new team," Owens said. "When I go in, I always look forward to being a big part of it."
