14 days till Free Agency Tight End

by Steve

Alright, because I don't want to go offense at all in the draft, at least not in the first 3 rounds, 14 Days till Free Agency Day 1 starts off with Tight End. Clearly a need position for the Buffalo Bills, especially considering they lost 'pass catching' tight end Kevin Everett for life.

The current staff, Robert Royal, primarily a blocking tight end will little penchant for catching big touchdowns or creating plays, Derek Schouman, a seventh round rookie, Teyo Johnson a nobody the Bills recently signed, and Tim Massaquoi, an even bigger nobody create a depressingly pathetic corps of tight ends. To further their problems, Michael Gaines is a free agent, granted he wasn't much to sneeze at either, but was at least a big body, could presumably come back, but who really cares.

That leaves the Bills desperately seeking a pass catching tight end, hopefully one that at least knows how to tackle, if the time ever called for it. So where are we starting? Look no further than todays biggest Atlanta Falcons cap casualty, Alge Crumpler.

A seven year pro Crumpler, who at, 6-2 and 262, has great size and just turned 30. He has consistently played at least 14 games+ since being drafted in the second round in 2001. He has averaged 45 catches and 5 touchdowns a season and is a solid pass catcher. True, he may be on the down-ish side of his career, but he has ball left in him and at the right price I think the Bills have to at least offer a contract or bring him in for a physical or something. They would be crazy not to.

Here is the list of other decent Tight Ends in free agency, Dallas Clark (Likely to be franchised, Bo Scaife RFA, Ben Utecht RFA and possible product of a system, Eric Johnson and Billy Miller both from New Orleans, Jerramy Stevens, Anthony Becht, Marcus Pollard (who at 36 seems 106), Kris Wilson, Bryan Fletcher and Ben Hartsock. Ouch, not much of a crop at tight end.

Thinking about it more, god damn Everett's injury really set this franchise back in regards to the tight end position.

Final verdict, take a long look at Crumpler if not perhaps Kris Watson, who as a 2nd round pick playing behind one of the best in the game, has to have learned something in his days with the Chiefs. Somebody needs to be signed hopefully with Gaines also returning. If not, bring in any free agent tight end and look long and hard in the 3rd round. There has to be a hidden gem or athletic type TE that can adapt to catching the ball in 20 degree weather while getting both feet in bounce.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot, there have been rumors Jeremy Shockey was on the trading block. Good, keep him there, cause that is the last thing the Bills needs is a loud mouth me first loser malcontent shouting in Trent's grill against the Patriots in November cause he was open on a play and Trent dumped it off.