NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Titans agreed to a two-year contract with former Atlanta tight end Alge Crumpler, one of many veterans released last month by the Falcons.
Crumpler, voted to four consecutive Pro Bowls from 2003-06, is expected to help an offense that had only nine touchdown passes in 2007. He will get to play with a quarterback in Vince Young whose mobility is similar to Michael Vick.
"I really am excited about the opportunity to work with Vince Young. I've admired him as a peer from across the league, and I was itching to get a chance to play with him," Crumpler said.
The 30-year-old Crumpler had eight touchdown receptions in 2006, and he and the Titans believe he will be a good fit for an offense that needs to improve red zone production.
"He has 35 career touchdown catches, so he knows how to get open in the end zone," Titans coach Jeff Fisher said Monday while introducing Crumpler. "He knows how to get in the end zone."
"And I like getting in the end zone," Crumpler said.
"The thing that stands out when you look at Alge as a player is his production and reliability," Titans general manager Mike Reinfeldt said in a statement Monday. "He is a complete tight end: a dynamic receiver for the Falcons offense, who also contributed as a blocker to a run offense that ranked first in the league in three of the last four years."
Crumpler was **released Feb. 17** after being plagued by knee problems in 2007, when he had 42 catches for 444 yards and five touchdowns. He was due to count $5.1 million against the salary cap in 2008.
Crumpler has 316 catches for 4,212 yards and 35 touchdowns in seven seasons, all with Atlanta.
"Good tight ends are hard to find," Fisher said. "It was an objective and a goal of ours at the start of the offseason to go ahead and upgrade this position. As they say, one person's loss is another person's gain.
"Whatever the reasons were in Atlanta to create a situation where Alge became available, we figured we would take advantage of it, and we have."
Former Titans tight end Ben Hartsock signed with the Falcons on Sunday. The team's top tight end, Bo Scaife, is a restricted free agent, while fellow tight end Ben Troupe is an unrestricted free agent and has attracted attention in the free agent market.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
