The New England Patriots top wide receiver has played 14 games in the past three seasons. Their No. 2 wideout is a converted college quarterback who’s averaging fewer yards per catch this season than Ben Tate is per rush. Rookies Aaron Dobson and Kenbrell Thompkins are also on the roster. They’re best known for raising the ire of Tom Brady during a sloppy Thursday night victory over the Jets.

Terrell Owens thinks he can help.

The Patriots should listen.

If this were any other team with any other coach and any other quarterback, it’d be a no-brainer: Ignore T.O. and develop the talent you have, in hopes it leads to a better situation. But most teams aren’t the Patriots, a team decimated in its receiving ranks by injury, imprisonment and mediocrity. The Pats are a team with Super Bowl aspirations but not enough offensive weapons to get there. The Pats have a Hall of Fame coach and a Hall of Fame quarterback trying to win with an undrafted 25-year-old rookie and another highly-touted rookie who has trouble running routes. Even with his advanced age and temperamental attitude, Terrell Owens couldn’t help?

Owens makes a compelling case on his own behalf. He told the Boston Globe:

“I understand they may look at my age as an issue but I’m not your average 39-year-old. I think if you watch me work out, I’m not really concerned about injuries or anything like that. Plus, I’ll be getting paid the vet minimum, so it’s not like I am asking for any extra incentive in my contract. “I just want to play because I know I’m still competitive. I can play at a productive level. And the thing is, the last two or three teams that I’ve played on, they brought up my age issue but there’s never really been a decline in my production. “I know that there’s some character issues that teams are worried about that’s understandably noted, but I am a different person than I was 10 years ago.”

Even if that’s all talk and T.O. is still the same diva he was when he was making Pro Bowls, what’s the harm in finding out?

Belichick has shown he can work with high-profile players with questionable reputations. He can handle a circus. And he’s willing to experiment, then cut the cord, when needed (see: Tebow, Tim).

Terrell Owens hasn’t played in the NFL since 2010, which is an eternity in the world of professional sports, but in his final year with the Bengals, he had 72 receptions and nine touchdowns at the age of 37. The top three Pats receivers (minus the injured Danny Amendola) have a total of 98 catches and six touchdowns in their careers.

New England needs a wideout. Why not T.O.?