Ravens acquire Owens

Four-time Pro Bowl receiver Terrell Owens was traded to the Baltimore Ravens by San Francisco yesterday after a paperwork error prevented him from becoming a free agent.

Owens, who quarreled with coaches, teammates, and opponents during the last few seasons, was given permission by the 49ers to seek a deal after his agent failed to file a document voiding the final years of his contract.

He gives Baltimore, which surrendered a second-round draft pick, the top receiver it has been lacking for years, even in 2000, when the Ravens won the Super Bowl.

Ravens coach Brian Billick was impressed by "comments across the board" about Owens's productivity and work ethic.

"The profile we got was of a player that, given his level of proven productivity and his desire to win, seemed to fit the Raven profile," Billick said.

Billick also said he wasn't worried about the wide receiver's difficult relationship with the 49ers.

"However he treated people or dealt with people before is not of concern to me because the Baltimore Ravens weren't a part of that," Billick said.

Owens has spent all eight of his NFL seasons with the 49ers, who drafted him in 1996.

Meanwhile, two quarterbacks linked to Owens, Jeff Garcia formerly of the 49ers, and Kyle Boller, Baltimore's starter, were also in the news.

Garcia will reportedly meet today with the Cleveland Browns, who have threatened to cut incumbent Tim Couch unless he restructures his contract.

Boller is set to have arthroscopic surgery today to clean up damaged tissue in his left (non-throwing) shoulder.

It's official, finally The much talked-about Clinton Portis-for-Champ Bailey deal was finally completed, and the teams held dueling news conferences. It gives Washington a prime running back for Washington coach Joe Gibbs's offense in return for the shutdown cornerback coveted by the Denver Broncos. "This team hasn't had a corner who has come close to him in a long time," Broncos owner Pat Bowlen said when Bailey was introduced in Denver . . . Free agent tackle Derrick Deese signed a six-year, $15 million contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have made upgrading their offensive line a priority. He spent the past 12 seasons in San Francisco . . . Unrestricted free agent cornerback Antoine Winfield has agreed to a contract with the New York Jets, a source within the NFL told the Associated Press. ESPN.com said the deal is for six years and $30 million, including a $10 million signing bonus . . . The Seattle Seahawks signed free agent defensive end Grant Wistrom, formerly of the St. Louis Rams, to a six-year deal that includes a $14 million bonus . . . Houston formalized its deal with defensive tackle Robaire Smith. The former Titan signed a six-year deal worth $26.3 million . . . Tight end Kris Mangum resigned with the Carolina Panthers for four years and $3.24 million . . . New Orleans signed former Tampa Bay running back Aaron Stecker . . . New York Giants receiver David Tyree faces drug possession charges after police in Fort Lee, N.J., found about a half-pound of marijuana in his car. Tyree, 24, and two other men were in the car when it was stopped for speeding. Tyree was arrested after a patrolman learned he was wanted on a traffic warrant, and the officer then smelled what he believed to be marijuana.