Lately on Total Titans we’ve been discussing, among other things, aging veterans, players in contract years and crowded position groups (DE, DT and RB) Quite a few Titans have membership in more than one of those groupings, such as Keith Bulluck, who is an older veteran in a contract year.
That description also applies to tight end Alge Crumpler, who is in the last year of his contract and will be 32 years old in December. Alge started 15 games last year at a position that will be very crowded in 2009.
As I wrote here, Crumpler hasn’t yet turned out to be the red zone threat the Titans needed, Craig Stevens and Jared Cook appear to be the Titans’ tight ends of the future, and this will probably be Alge’s last year in Tennessee.
Will Crumpler improve this year on his 2008 campaign? It’s possible. Sometimes it takes two years following an injury for a player to regain or surpass his previous level of his play.
Crumpler was injured for the better part of the 2007 season and perhaps his mediocrity (by his standards) in 2008 could be accounted for as a season of rehab and recuperation. I don’t really buy that, but it is a possibility which can’t be discounted yet.
If Alge doesn’t have a better year will his career in Tennessee be over? I believe so, although it’s more likely for him to return in 2010 than it is for Bo Scaife.
If this does turn out to be his final season in two-tone blue, how will the Alge Crumpler experience be viewed? Will the Titans have received what they expected out of him?
On balance, so far I think Crumpler been good for the Titans. Alge joined Kevin Mawae and Kerry Collins as veteran leaders on offense. Unlike reports we heard on him from our Falcons colleagues, Alge turned out to be a positive influence and a pretty good blocker.
I like veterans who are team players. I like Alge Crumpler and I hope he’ll have a good season in what could be his final year in Tennessee.
You tell me — what do you think about Alge Crumpler?
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