The Titans placed a high priority on upgrading the tight end position this offseason. First, they acquired the services of former Pro Bowl TE Alge Crumpler during the opening days of free agency.
They later swapped tight ends with the Falcons, losing Ben Hartsock to Atlanta while picking up former Falcon/Titan Dwayne Blakley. For the icing on the cake, California TE Craig Stevens was a surprise selection in the third round of Aprils draft.
All of these moves were made despite the presence of last years starting TE, Bo Scaife, already on the roster. With only a year remaining on his current deal, will Bo Scaife step up in 2008, or will he follow in the footsteps of Ben Troupe, another talented TE drafted by the Titans who was eventually tossed asunder?
There is no question that Scaife is a talented guy. A former teammate of Vince Young at the University of Texas, Bo has been the recipient of 112 passes during his three-year NFL career. In 2007, Scaife caught a career high 46 passes while emerging as Vinces safety valve.
Despite Scaifes development, the Titans first move during free agency was to acquire Alge Crumpler. Despite some knee issues, Crumpler is still one of the leagues better tight ends and has always been a powerful force in the red zone, an area where Scaife has failed to emerge as a factor in the Titans offense.
Thankfully for Scaife, the return of Mike Heimerdinger equals more double-tight end sets for the Titan offense. Dinger’s offense may allow Bo to flourish and display his playmaking potential on a consistent basis next year.
Scaife is a talented player who has the ability to become a solid tight end in this league. However, the same was said about 2004 draft bust Ben Troupe, who was never able to turn potential into production in a Titan uniform. We all know how that story turned out, as Troupe was allowed to leave and join Tampa Bay this offseason.
Hopefully, the Bo Scaife story will have a much better ending.
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