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Terrell Owens is campaigning to get back into the NFL, and his current targets are his first team and the team in which his previous quarterback plays for.

Owens went on “The Drive” on 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, in an interview that will air Monday, and said he’d like to play for either the 49ers or the Raiders. Let’s get this straight: Owens would like to play for any team. But thus far, there have not been any takers. Owens was out of football in 2011, and he turns 39 in December.

Yes, he’s a hard sell.

Yet, he is pushing for a chance to reunite with quarterback Carson Palmer. They played in Cincinnati together in 2010, and Owens worked out with Palmer and some Oakland receivers this offseason.

“If I had to prefer a team, I’d probably want to end where I started, but other than that, that’s not possible, but at the same time, anything can happen. That being said, there’s really only one team left in the Bay Area who I haven’t played for, that really, at this point in time is a viable option, and that’s the Oakland Raiders,” Owens said, “Given the opportunity, if that’s on their radar for me to come in and help them win some ball games, and ultimately help them try to win a championship, then I’ll take that challenge on.

"I definitely feel I have a lot of football left in me. I think Carson knows that. The guys that saw me running around, those receivers, they saw me first hand, so it’s just a matter of someone giving me an opportunity to make that happen. If that’s the case with the Raiders, I’ll assess that when the time comes.”

The reality is, it doesn’t matter if Owens is interested in playing for the Raiders. There are a lot of people in the world who would like to play for the Raiders. What matters is what Oakland’s brass wants. Thus far, it appears Oakland is satisfied with its young core of receivers. As I have expressed often, I think it is the right call.

Let’s see what fifth-round pick Juron Criner can do. Taking away repetitions from him in favor of a rusty 38-year-old with a history of being a locker-room distraction doesn’t make any sense.

In other AFC West news:

Tight end Dallas Clark reportedly visited the Patriots this week. He recently visited the Chiefs.

In an Insider piece, Mel Kiper says he thinks Kansas City linebacker Justin Houston will build upon his strong rookie season.

Denver signed fifth-round pick Malik Jackson. He is the team’s second draft pick to sign.

Mort sees big things for the Chiefs this year, Cris Carter elaborates on his bounty comments, and the 32 Crew has some advice for Adrian Peterson when he returns from knee surgery.

The Broncos’ compensation in the Tim Tebow trade is a gift for Tebow’s replacement, Peyton Manning.

Denver took Baylor center Philip Blake with the No. 108 pick, in the fourth round. That was the primary pick the Jets gave up in the Tebow trade.

Interestingly, Blake will backup/compete with J.D. Walton, a former Baylor teammate. Denver took Walton two years ago and he has been the team’s starter. Manning has been working closely with Walton since Manning signed in Denver last month. Blake likely won’t compete with Walton right away.

The Broncos made an interesting pick early in the fourth round in the in the form of Arizona State cornerback Omar Bolden. He missed all of last season with an ACL injury. He has excellent cover skills and, if healthy, he likely would have been a second-round pick last year.

Bolden is now healthy. It’s a worthwhile pick for Denver since they are looking for young cornerbacks who don’t have to start right away. This pick has a chance to be a steal.

The Chiefs love small, return types. They drafted Devon Wylie of Fresno State in the fourth round. Wylie is dynamic player. He is fast and NFL-ready, yet he is just 5-foot-9, 188 pounds. He can also kelp in the return game, where the Chiefs have several options. Wylie is similar to 2010 second-round pick Dexter McCluster.

He and McCluster can be on the field together with McCluster being in the backfield. With big receiver Dwayne Bowe and Jon Baldwin, the Chiefs continue to give themselves matchup options.

The Chargers began to start thinking about a post-Antonio Gates world by taking Louisiana-Lafayette tight end Ladarius Green in the fourth round. Like the Chargers’ first three picks, Green was expected to go earlier in the draft. He is an interesting prospect for down the road.

Bounties are a very sensitive subject in the NFL. Pretty much the mention of the word from any pro football player is sure to capture headlines.

That was the case with Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry. He injured his knee in Week 1 and was lost for the season against the Buffalo Bills when receiver Steve Johnson blocked him low. The block was deemed legal and didn't draw a flag.

But following the discovery of the New Orleans Saints' bounty scandal, Berry recently tweeted "Sometimes I sit [and] wonder if they had a bounty out on me ... oh well ... who cares. Either way [you] can't hold me down."

Berry this week was asked about the tweet by reporters.

"They got the tape out there, you can make your own opinion," Berry said. "I mean, my opinion is my opinion. People are going to take it how they want to take it anyway."

Regardless of Berry's stance, he needs to be more careful with bounty talk. He shouldn't make public accusations against Johnson or any player unless he's absolutely sure. For example, the NFL did a thorough investigation into the Saints that took years to uncover.

Johnson is not known to be a dirty player and denied the hit was intentional in the past. Hopefully, Berry isn't setting a new and dangerous precedent, where every NFL player who suffers a significant injury will publicly accuse an opponent of trying to collect a bounty.

The Oakland Raiders are one of the most intriguing franchises in the NFL these days. How will the post-Al Davis Raiders evolve?

After Al Davis' death in October, the much-less-involved Mark Davis turned his father’s beloved franchise over to Reggie McKenzie, a respected personnel man from Green Bay, who is embarking on his first journey as a general manager. McKenzie has entrusted former Denver defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, who at 39 is the youngest coach in the league, to be the next coach of a team that finished 8-8 last season and barely out of the playoffs.

The first focus for McKenzie has been clearing the Raiders’ roster of bloated contracts given to players as the Raiders desperately, and unsuccessfully, chased championships in Davis’ final years.

It has been a necessary exercise as Oakland begins the process of getting out of salary-cap jail. But Oakland has lost more talent than it has brought in the past month.

The question begs to be asked: Has Oakland fallen behind the rest of the AFC West for the 2012 season? It depends on whom you ask, of course. Asked this week if his team will be stronger or weaker in 2012, McKenzie, without explanation, said this: “Honestly, I envision it being stronger.”

However, many folks around the league wonder how.

“I think they have fallen behind,” Gary Horton of Scouts Inc. said. “They are in a tough salary-cap position and they are paying for it now. I just don’t see the improvement.”

Added Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc.: “I do think they have slipped.” Williamson, in an Insider piece, gave the Raiders one of the worst free-agent grades in the AFC.

It’s difficult to look at the list of players Oakland has added and lost and not come to the same conclusion. Even given the need for salary-cap repair, a loss of talent mustn’t be brushed aside.

Some of the key players who were either cut or departed Oakland as free agents: linebacker Kamerion Wimbley, running back Michael Bush, quarterback Jason Campbell, cornerback Stanford Routt, tight end Kevin Boss, defensive tackle John Henderson, running back Rock Cartwright, receiver Chaz Schilens, defensive end Trevor Scott and cornerback Chris Johnson.

The projected starters who have been brought in: guard Mike Brisiel and cornerbacks Ron Bartell and Shawntae Spencer.

“You look who has come and who has gone, and it’s scary,” Horton said. “I like Mike Brisiel. He will help. But the two cornerbacks are just guys. They are not starters for a good team. The defense needs improvement and I don’t see it. All I see is the loss of talent. Where is the coverage coming from? Where is the pass-rush coming from?”

In addition to not having much cap room, the Raiders have a small draft class. They have five picks and their first pick is No. 95, at the end of the third round. McKenzie has said the Raiders need a starting outside linebacker. He might not know who that player is for some time.

Compounding the concern in Oakland is the fact that the rest of the AFC West has been aggressive this offseason.

Denver added the big prize of the NFL offseason --quarterback Peyton Manning. Kansas City added several players, including Routt and Boss after they were jettisoned in Oakland. The Chargers lost star receiver Vincent Jackson and key backup running back Mike Tolbert, but added several pieces and have been lauded by scouts around the league for using their resources properly and adding to their overall talent level. Speaking this week solely about his own team, Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli said he felt the need to improve his roster because of the improvement around him in the division.

Meanwhile, McKenzie and Allen are seemingly beginning their tenure in Oakland by taking a step back. Asked about the loss of talent while at the NFL owners meetings this week, Allen took a realistic approach.

“You know what, we knew what the situation was when we were going into it,” Allen said. “We knew it was going to be a tough situation. I think Reggie’s done a great job of managing everything as we’ve gone through this. You go through it every year. Every year, you have good players that you lose. And you’ve got to find a way to regroup and replace those guys and that’s what we’re trying to get done.”

The problem is that Oakland has more holes than it did at the end of last season. In the past couple of seasons, the Raiders were intriguing because they were both young and didn’t have many glaring needs. All they needed was their young talent to continue to improve. Now, though, Oakland has holes at tight end and at linebacker and depth issues at all layers of the defense, running back, the offensive line and at quarterback.

“What if this team gets hurt a lot?” Horton asked. “There is no depth in this team.”

Still, not all is lost in Oakland. Running back Darren McFadden is an elite runner when healthy, the defensive line is an upper-echelon unit, the interior offensive line is strong, the special teams are top-notch, the receiver crew is potentially dynamic and the team believes quarterback Carson Palmer will benefit from a full offseason in the program.

The Raiders are hopeful that their talent can withstand this necessary offseason of cap repair. In a couple of years, if McKenzie continues to be financially prudent, the Raiders should be out of cap jail.

“This team wasn’t far away when I got here,” Allen said at the owners meetings. “We’re excited about trying to build on that and develop this team into a playoff-caliber team. Obviously, we took a couple hits because of the cap situation, but we’re looking forward to trying to develop the team, and the players.”

The only question: Has the rest of the AFC West left the Raiders behind in the immediate future?

Denver is visiting with Houston tight end Joel Dreessen. He is a Colorado native. Denver is also talking to tight end Jacob Tamme, who played with Peyton Manning in Indianapolis.

The Houston Chronicle is reporting Dreessen said he will choose between the Texans and Broncos by Friday morning. It will be interesting to see if Denver would want Dreessen and Tamme. The Broncos also have second-year players Julius Thomas (who they are high on) and Virgil Green, who faces a four-game NFL suspension for using a banned substance.

Meanwhile, cornerback William Gay visited the Broncos on Wednesday. The Broncos are bringing in Tracy Porter on Thursday. I think one of the two have a good chance to be signed.

In other AFC West news:

Because of the money Oakland paid Khalif Barnes, there is good reason to think he will start in 2012 ahead of second-year player Joe Barksdale.

Oakland fans must check out this video about Sebastian Janikowski.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Drew Stanton had a chance to be Kansas City’s backup before signing with the Jets. The Chiefs have since signed former Denver backup Brady Quinn.

NFL Network reports the Chiefs are visiting with cornerback Chris Carr. He would fill a depth role.

With Peyton Manning heading to Denver, we got our big score in the AFC West for the free-agency season. Regardless of the Manning addition, it has been a busy week of movements in the division. Let’s look at some of the remaining stories left in the division as free agency slows down:

Tebow’s future: Denver is expected to try to trade Tim Tebow. ESPN’s Chris Mortensen has said he thinks Tebow will be released if he is not traded. I think Denver wants a fast rotation, but there may not necessarily be fast clarity.

Manning’s friends: There have already been reports that Denver could sign former Colts center Jeff Saturday and receiver Brandon Stokley. Tight ends Dallas Clark and/or Jacob Tamme and running back Joseph Addai could also be on the list.

Michael Bush: The Oakland running back has visited Chicago and Cincinnati and is set to go to Seattle. His market has been slow, but circumstances may prevent his return to Oakland.

Chargers backup running back: The Chargers are looking at several players, including Kansas City’s Jackie Battle, as a replacement for key backup Mike Tolbert, who signed with Carolina.

Denver’s defense: Denver still has to improve the defense. It has signed Cleveland safety Mike Adams, but it needs more. Defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley, who has visited New Orleans, remains a priority. Denver has also been linked to Baltimore linebacker Jameel McClain, Tampa Bay linebacker Geno Hayes and Seattle cornerback Marcus Trufant.

San Diego running back Mike Tolbert is in Carolina visiting with the Panthers, according to a league source.

If the visit goes well it is not out of the question that Tolbert signs with the Panthers in the next 24 hours. Unless there is a dramatic change of direction, it appears Tolbert’s days with the Chargers are over.

He was one of the team’s priorities, but talks have stalled. If the key backup leaves San Diego, the Chargers could turn to Kansas City’s Jackie Battle or Oakland’s Michael Bush to back up Ryan Mathews.

In other AFC West news:

Denver tight end Daniel Fells is visiting New England on Monday.

The Broncos have re-signed middle linebacker Joe Mays. He was a serviceable starter in 2011, starting 12 games. The team would like to see Nate Irving become a starter. If so, the 26-year-old Mays will still have value as a special-teamer.

Free-agent offensive lineman Samson Satele was arrested in Hawaii (where he lives in the offseason) on disorderly conduct charges, a petty misdemeanor. Satele played last season for Oakland, which may not bring him back in 2012.

There are numerous reports that the Raiders will cut linebacker Kamerion Wimbley on Friday. The move has been expected for several weeks.

Wimbley was not interested in a pay-cut. Keeping him on the roster through Saturday would have triggered $17.5 million in bonuses. Wimbley will be paid $6.5 million by the Raiders anyway for this year, but it will save Oakland $4.5 million. He will draw interest on the open market. While the Chargers have already spent a lot in free agency (they have re-signed two players, and added four outside contracts), they need a pass-rusher and might be interested. Chicago is another team to keep an eye on.

Oakland now has more money to spend. It is looking at cornerbacks, including Ronald Bartell and Tracy Porter, and guard Mike Brisiel. Wimbley is poised to be Oakland’s seventh salary-cap dump. So, the Raiders have more roster holes than expected with limited cap room and a small draft class.

In other AFC West news:

Here are the Chiefs’ reactions -- via a team statement -- about the signing of tight end Kevin Boss:

Coach Romeo Crennel: “We are excited about the opportunity to make Kevin a member of the Kansas City Chiefs. Kevin has been a part of successful teams in the past, and knows what it takes to win. I am eager to add him to our offense.”

General manager Scott Pioli: “We felt that signing Kevin continued our free agent plan of adding good players to our roster. Kevin has a track record of personal and team success in this league, and he is a good fit for us.”

The Chiefs are visiting with right tackle Eric Winston, and are trying to sign him. He has a visit set with St. Louis after the Chiefs.

NFL Network is reporting the Broncos will visit with Tampa Bay linebacker Geno Hayes. Denver is looking at several defensive players.

In an Insider piece , Mel Kiper looks at how free agency has affected the Chargers’ draft plans.

Brady Quinn has a decent chance to stick around as a backup quarterback if Denver signs Peyton Manning. Both he and Manning have the same agent and it could make sense for Quinn to stick around if Manning signs with the Broncos.

If Tim Tebow remains the starter, Quinn will likely walk.

Quinn may have a hint that Manning isn't coming to Denver or perhaps he's not waiting for him to make a decision.

The Denver Post is reporting Quinn will visit the Jets on Friday. New York has a backup job available.

Meanwhile, ESPN’s John Clayton has reported Tennessee agreed to terms with guard Steve Hutchinson. The Broncos and Titans are among the teams fighting to sign Peyton Manning. The Broncos haven’t done anything in free agency because they are waiting to see what Manning does.

Denver has $38 million in cap room. Tennessee has less cap room. It’s time for Denver to start signing some players while waiting for Manning. Not all of its cap space will go to Manning.

In other AFC West news:

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that Denver receiver/returner Eddie Royal is taking a physical in San Diego. That could mean a contract is next. I like Royal's fit in San Diego.

Oakland pass-rusher Trevor Scott is visiting the Patriots. Scott was once a promising Oakland prospect, but he's been slowed by injuries. I think he is still a decent prospect. I wonder what Bill Belichick could do with him?

Keep an eye on Chiefs running back Jackie Battle as an option in San Diego if Mike Tolbert signs elsewhere. Tolbert is visiting the Chiefs.

Here are some thoughts on the San Diego Chargers signing former Kansas City Chiefs' fullback Le'Ron McClain to three-year deal and on the team setting up a visit with Denver Broncos free agent receiver Eddie Royal:

• The McClain addition could be a sign that the Chargers are out of the Mike Tolbert talks. He is visiting in Kansas City. Tolbert wouldn’t necessarily be replacing McClain in Kansas City and the same could be true with McClain in San Diego. UT San Diego reported this week that practice squader Frank Summers would replace free agent fullback Jacob Hester. If Hester is brought back it would be as a backup and as a special teamer.
• McClain, who is a cousin of Oakland middle linebacker Rolando McClain, is a tough leader and a good blocker. He played in all 16 games last season as a Chief. He had 15 carries and 14 catches. The former Raven had 902 yards on 232 carries in Baltimore in 2008. But he has had a total of 89 carries in the past three seasons combined.
• Either way, McClain is a solid, tough addition to San Diego’s offense.
• As for Royal, I can see why San Diego is interested. It needs another receiver and the pickings are getting slim. Royal, who was reportedly close to signing with Washington to reunite with former Denver coach Mike Shanahan earlier in free agency, can help as a slot player and as a returner.
• Royal excelled under Shanahan as a rookie and I think Norv Turner would find a way to make him useful. A rotation of Malcom Floyd, Robert Meachem, Vincent Brown and Royal would be a pretty nice group for Chargers’ quarterback Philip Rivers to work with.

The Oakland Raiders have been quiet in free agency so far Tuesday, other than seeing former starting quarterback Jason Campbell leave for Chicago.

This may be a reason: ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports when free agency opened Tuesday the Raiders had a league low $639,966 of cap space.

Now, that will improve when the release of tight end Kevin Boss kicks in. Oakland could also cut linebacker Kamerion Wimbley and defensive tackle John Henderson. So, Oakland (which already cut three other players and restructured the contracts of several players) will get some enough cap room to sign a few players and sign their small draft class.

But the question for rookie general manager Reggie McKenzie is this? Why didn’t he do all of his salary-cap shaving prior to free agency starting. Players are signing at a fast rate. I know Oakland is going to bargain shop, but there is no reason why it should give other teams a head start for any player. The Raiders’ don’t have a starting quality cornerback on the roster and top cornerbacks like Cortland Finnegan and Carlos Rogers are already off the market.

In other AFC West news:

• UT-San Diego reported that the Chargers want former practice squader Frank Summers to be the repair fullback. Jacob Hester, if he is re-signed, would spell Summers and play special teams.
• Add the 49ers to the list of the teams that want Oakland receiver Chaz Schilens. The Phoenix native is visiting the Cardinals on Tuesday and the Jets reportedly like him, too.
• NFL.com is reporting Seattle tight end John Carlson will visit the Colts in addition to the Chiefs.
• The Raiders reportedly gave defensive lineman Desmond Bryant a second-round tender in restricted free agency. It would be a shock if another team tried to sign him to an offer sheet.

This is not a good day in San Diego.

Vincent Jackson has walked away.

While there were indications in recent days that the Chargers were not prepared to match an enormous deal for Jackson, there has long been the thought that the Chargers -- who are heavily pursuing New Orleans’ Robert Meachem on Tuesday night -- couldn’t afford to let Jackson leave.

This is a critical offseason in San Diego and it has not started well. In addition to Jackson leaving, the Chargers saw longtime standout guard Kris Dielman retire because of a severe concussion he suffered last season, the team cut left tackle Marcus McNeill because of a neck injury and valuable running back Mike Tolbert is poised to visit AFC West rival Kansas City on Wednesday. The Chargers also have priority free agents in left tackle Jared Gaither and defensive tackle Antonio Garay. San Diego’s lone bright spot, thus far, was the re-signing of standout center Nick Hardwick on Tuesday to a three-year deal.

The Chargers must get better. They must do some things in free agency.

Owner Dean Spanos upset the fan base when he brought back coach Norv Turner and GM A.J. Smith in January.

Fans expected Spanos to show a commitment to them by getting better in free agency, and the Chargers still could get better.

But seeing Jackson leave is not going to convince the San Diego fan base the Chargers are truly committed to getting back to the playoffs for the first time since the 2009 season.

Jackson is a premier receiver and he was a great fit for quarterback Philip Rivers, who has to be wondering what is going on with his offensive line and receiving crew.

The Chargers gambled by not giving Jackson the franchise tag for a second year because it jumped to more than $13 million this season. He is averaging just more than $11 million per season with Tampa Bay. The Chargers took a shot at Jackson, but they likely never got close to what Tampa Bay offered.

Now, the Chargers have to go find a top receiver. The only receivers on the roster are No. 2 starter Malcom Floyd (who is injury prone) and second-year player Vincent Brown.

The free-agent class is drying up. The best options may be Brandon Lloyd, Meachem, Mario Manningham and Laurent Robinson. Meachem may soon sign with the Bills even though the Chargers are pushing for him. Robinson flourished in Dallas last season after not making the Chargers’ roster last September. I’m not sure any of those players will make anyone forget about Jackson. The Chargers, who badly need a top pass-rusher, may have to consider taking someone such as Notre Dame’s Michael Floyd with the No. 18 overall pick in the draft.

Here is one way I think the Chargers can regain the trust of fans, but it’s a long shot. They could step in front of Buffalo and sign monster pass-rusher Mario Williams and then sign Pittsburgh receiver Mike Wallace to an offer sheet the Steelers couldn’t match. The restricted free agent would cost the Chargers their first-round pick if he signed. But adding Williams (the best free agent on the market) and having Wallace replace Jackson would show San Diego’s fans the team is serious about getting better.

Again, don’t expect it to happen, but the Chargers must improve and getting creative may be necessary.

Would Jason Campbell rather back up Jay Cutler or Carson Palmer?

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting Campbell, Oakland’s former starter, is set to visit with the Bears.

He’d back up Cutler there.

Like Kansas City’s Kyle Orton (Schefter is reporting he will visit Dallas, where he’d backup Tony Romo), Campbell is clearly having trouble finding a place where he’d compete to start. I’m a bit surprised by that.

Campbell has been the victim of terrible luck. He broke his collarbone in October and the Raiders then traded two premium picks for Palmer. The Raiders are now married to Palmer. If Campbell leaves Oakland, it is clear he is looking for change of scenery rather than being open to signing with the Raiders to back up Palmer.

The Bears likely would be willing to give Campbell more than Oakland. A potential backup quarterback in Oakland is Matt Leinart. He was just cut by Houston. Oakland’s new offensive coordinator is Greg Knapp. He was previously Leinart’s quarterbacks coach in Houston.

We know Peyton Manning visited the Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals over the weekend.

We do not know what he will do next. NFL teams do not know. Manning might not know.

Billionaire NFL owners accustomed to getting their way appear utterly helpless as they wait for answers. Imagine the pressure team executives must feel as they report to ownership on their failure to secure even a visit from Manning. These owners cannot even know whether Manning's surgically repaired neck will allow the quarterback to play again, but they would happily gamble millions on the prospect that Manning will be OK.

The latest report from ESPN's Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter quotes sources as saying the Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs are "no longer considered contenders" for Manning. The quarterback himself has said nothing publicly.

Public declarations from Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams seem aimed at appeasing fans hoping the team will bring back Manning to the state where he played his college ball.

"He is the man I want, period," Adams said. "And the people that work for me understand that. They know who I want. I want Mr. Manning with the Titans and I will be disappointed if it doesn’t happen."

Does anyone really think Manning will respond favorably to an owner essentially popping off? As with so much of this story, no one seems to know for sure.

Manning's meticulous preparation as a player suggests he'll make a well-informed decision. It's an upset if he rushes into anything.