The Facts: Owens will undergo the second phase of his surgery to repair a torn tendon in his right index finger on March 1. Owens and the Cowboys are both confident he will be ready for the start of the 2007 season. But according to team trainers, Owens probably won’t start catching passes until training camp in July.

Diehards Line:Previous reports indicated Owens, who is due a $3 million roster bonus June 1 to guarantee his $5 million base salary for 2007, might resume pass catching in May. ... As noted in last weekend's Fantasy Notebook, owner Jerry Jones plans to have Owens on the team this coming season and thus intends on paying the bonus. That said, how Owens recovers from the surgery and where he is physically on June 1 could play a role in Jones’ actually following through with his plans.