Crumpler would bring plenty to Bills

The Buffalo Bills haven't had a tight end exceed the 40-reception plateau since 2001. Free agent Alge Crumpler has done it five times during his seven-year career.

Former Atlanta Falcons tight end Alge Crumpler caught 42 passes last year, and that was considered a major down year for the 6-foot-2, 242-pounder.

The last time the Bills had a tight end who hauled in at least 42 balls was long ago, 2001, when the oft-maligned Jay Riemersma accrued 53 receptions. During the six full seasons since then, the Bills have struggled mightily to find a dependable pass-catching tight end for their offense.

When the Falcons recently released Crumpler -- a seven-year veteran and four-time Pro Bowler who has been held back during his 316-catch career by several horrible quarterbacks -- the clouds may have lifted for the Bills. However, Buffalo, believed to be one of the teams interested in Crumpler, will have plenty of competition with regards to signing the 30-year-old.

Without question, Crumpler would bring plenty of legitimacy to Buffalo's deficient passing attack, one which ranked 30th out of 32 NFL teams last year. The University of North Carolina alumnus, a 2001 second-round pick, would also be an ideal security blanket for soon-to-be second-year quarterback Trent Edwards, who tried his best to involve less-than-stellar tight ends Michael Gaines and Robert Royal in the offense as a rookie last season. Of course, adding Crumpler would also allow the Bills to ignore the tight end position in the draft and focus on their other need areas, specifically linemen, linebackers, cornerbacks and a red-zone receiving threat.

Obviously, though, Crumpler -- who has 35 career touchdowns -- would go a long way toward curing Buffalo's woebegone offense in the red zone. The Bills regularly settled for field goals instead of touchdowns last season because of the lack of a big, physical target near enemy end zones. Along with a big receiver, whether acquired through free agency or the draft, Crumpler would truly help that aspect of the Bills' offense, thus improving the developing Edwards in the process.

At the end of the day, if the Bills want to progress badly enough, then taking a good, hard look at Crumpler, who was released by Atlanta because of age and salary-cap concerns, ought to be a no-brainer.

Of course, whether Buffalo's redesigned, somewhat unproven front office has much brain power remains to be seen.

Regardless, one thing's for sure: Edwards to Crumpler would be a lot more reliable and lethal in short-yardage and red-zone situations than Edwards to a rookie or Edwards to the ridiculously average duo of Gaines and Royal.

*E-mail: cbyrne@realfootball365.com.

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