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Terrell Owens may not be free after all.

It was assumed the star receiver would void the final three years of his 49ers contract and become a free agent this winter. However, due to an administrative miscue, Owens may be stuck in San Francisco.

Owens needed to file paperwork with the NFL by Feb. 21 to void the final three years of his contract. The Niners notified the NFL that Owens did not file by the deadline, and the NFL management council has confirmed that Owens remains under contract for three more years, pending a grievance hearing.

Of course, he could still be traded if he was not granted free agency. One 49ers source suggested to ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli on Thursday that, even if the NFL management council ruling is upheld and Owens is precluded from entering the unrestricted free agent market, it does not necessarily ensure he will be with the team in '04. The 49ers could trade Owens and, in fact, doing so would probably be facilitated by the fact he is under contract.

Owens has had a spectacular, albeit stormy eight-year career with the Niners. His up-and-down relationship with quarterback Jeff Garcia led to speculation that Owens would bolt San Francisco as a free agent.

Owens, whose 80 catches in 2003 were his lowest total since 1999, would command a lot of attention on the free agent market for teams looking for a No. 1 receiver.

If Owens is forced to play the final three seasons of his current contract, his base salaries would be $5.3 million (2004), $5.9 million (2005) and $6.5 million (2006). His contract, signed on March 1, 2001, also affords him the opportunity in each of those three seasons to earn up to $1.96 million in incentives, based on individual and team performances, and Pro Bowl selection.

The $17.7 million in combined base salaries probably represents just a little more than Owens would have sought in an initial signing bonus if he were a free agent.

Ironically, Garcia may be the one leaving the Niners first. If the quarterback and the team can't agree on a restructured contract, Garcia likely will be released before a roster bonus of $500,000 is due Wednesday, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Owens may not be the only one to "lose" his free agency this winter. Dennis Northcutt signed a seven-year contract with the Browns in 2000. He had been required to notify the team by Feb. 19 if he planned to void the final three years of his deal, and the Browns say Northcutt and his agent failed to inform the club by certified mail.

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WHAT THE HELL! I really thought he was a lock for Philadelphia next season.