Why are people so high on Troupe?

[HHURRICANE]

Are we getting that much of an increase in production?

[VeggieMan14]

idk but why not we cant get worse at the position

[mikemac2001]

Titans Offense hasnt had much talent and i really believe that hurt his production
they also were focused more on running the ball and staying in the game, with vince young not putting up big passing numbers also hurt his production

Kid has some talent and id like to bring him in i think he could do alot of things with this offense

[raphael120]

Yeah when you have Vince Young throwing to you, it brings you down. Kinda like having JP. Haha

[DrGraves]

all of this may be true.. it would be nice to add some depth... but im not getting excited over it

[mikemac2001]

all of this may be true.. it would be nice to add some depth... but im not getting excited over it


Why not

[Scumbag College]

Troupe would bring a big, athletic presence to the TE position for the Bills that hasn't been on this team for a while. He was on a run first team with VY as the QB, stuck behind a couple of other TEs so he hasn't put up big numbers the last two years. I don't think any team is going to break the bank for him, and I think Troupe should be interested in the Bills due to their lack of pass catching TEs and the Bills should be attracted to him for the same reasons.

[OpIv37]

http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/showthread.php?t=147506

[bigbub2352]

We need someone underneath who can do something i liked troupe he had ****ty QB play, i think he would be an upgrade over Nuefeld and Murphy, and probally Royal, if we resign Gaines which i hope we do, and sign troupe we can cut royal and draft bennett in round 2, SOLID and still have schouman who can come in on passing szituations at FB and Teyo as a tweener maybe in 5th WR in a redzone situation

[DMBcrew36]

I guess cause hes like 6'5"

[justasportsfan]

I'll take Crumpler. Aging or not, he had a better year last year than Royals, Troupe and Gaines in 14 games.

I wouldn't be too worried about his injury. We have a system that rotates it's players so we don't overburden the players.

[Philagape]

stuck behind a couple of other TEs

Why do people use the phrase "stuck behind" as if an excuse? As if he was unjustly buried, or as if the guys he was "stuck behind" were pro bowlers? Why is there any reason to believe the reason he was THIRD on the depth chart is because the other two were better than him? The guys he was "stuck behind" were Bo Scaife and Ben Hartsock. That means Bo Scaife and Ben Hartsock earned the jobs more than Troupe did.
I wonder if any team is interested in Coy Wire because he was stuck behind Angelo Crowell?

[jimbohastle51]

most the reason people are high on troupe, is because he was an elite college TE and he is still really young, i think 4-5 years is all he has been in the league

[Thurmal]

When you're best TE over the last 15 years is Jay Riemersma, you get exited for anybody.

[YardRat]

Are we getting that much of an increase in production?

We won't know unless he signs, suits up, and plays.

[kernowboy]

I think Troupe had a career year with McNair in 2005.

He then got injured early in 2006, and Bo Scaife came in. Both Scaife and Vince Young played at Texas and when Troupe was back fit, the Titans clearly also though that Young's development would be accelerated by throwing to a familiar target and constant.

Unless they were goint to a two TE set then his chances would be limited unless Scaife got injured, working on the principle, if its not broken don't fix it.

I don't think we should necessarily perceive it as a slight on Troupe. Once someone has the job, its theirs to lose.

[Mahdi]

The only reason I would like the Troupe signing is because he's very athletic and has good hands... other than that he has been very inconsistent. That being said I wouldnt mind signing him to a modest contract.

Ideally, I would love if the Bills draft Dustin Keller in the 2nd.

[alohabillsfan]

The same reason some of us were not excited about signing Langston Walker... I trust the FO!

[Philagape]

The same reason some of us were not excited about signing Langston Walker... I trust the FO!

I wasn't excited about Larry Tripplett or Peerless Price or Tutan Reyes or Melvin Fowler or Robert Royal or Michael Gaines or Anthony Thomas or Anthony Hargrove or Jason Webster either

[alohabillsfan]

I wasn't excited about Larry Tripplett or Peerless Price or Tutan Reyes or Melvin Fowler or Robert Royal or Michael Gaines or Anthony Thomas or Anthony Hargrove or Jason Webster either

Please lets not compare street FA's to high 2nd round draft pick!

Hargrove played well
Fowler is are starting center
A-train OK
Reyes OK

But the most recent regime has done better IMO with FA and the draft I trust them!

[Philagape]

Why is where he was drafted relevant at all? The definition of bust is someone who was drafted high and not played up to it. Happens quite a lot. Let's bring Mike Williams back, he was a top-five pick.

[tampabay25690]

WHY NOT!!!!

He is still a pretty decent YOUNG TE.......

AND HE IS A GATOR!!!!

[mikemac2001]

troupe in an offense that actually passes the ball will be effective....TITANS DONT THROW so why would they have a receiving TE on the field.

he is young to and probably feel like he is not being used to his potential

change of scenery and diff style i think he could flourish

[ParanoidAndroid]

Was his 2005 season a fluke? He's an upgrade, but not a huge one. He should be decent.
I still hope we grab one in the 3rd round, but with only one 3rd round pick, I wouldn't be upset if we used our 3 top picks on DE, WR, CB.

[Oaf]

I'd just rather resign Gaines and grab a dude in the 2nd or 3rd. :::

Signing or passing on Troupe will not affect my opinion on this FA period so far. :)

[Tatonka]

just trying to do some more research on troupe and found this..

pretty athletic guy for sure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0aNhEeM1W8

[yordad]

just trying to do some more research on troupe and found this..

pretty athletic guy for sure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0aNhEeM1W8Holy cow.

[HHURRICANE]

just trying to do some more research on troupe and found this..

pretty athletic guy for sure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0aNhEeM1W8

Great, maybe the Gators can resign him.

[LifetimeBillsFan]

I don't think some of you guys bothered to read what I wrote for OP when he asked about Troupe, so let me copy it for you to read here:

Here's the skinny on Troupe (I had him on a FF team a couple of years ago, so I checked him out fairly thoroughly):

He was supposed to be Kellen Winslow Jr before KW2 when he came out of Florida as a top draft choice. He was supposed to be the guy who would make Titans fans forget about the loss of Frank Wycheck to retirement.

Like a lot of Florida players, though, he's not the swiftest finger on the mental trigger, despite being an exceptional athlete--and he was considered an exceptional athlete for his position coming out of college.

Troupe had the luxury of being behind McNair's favorite target, E.Kinney, the starting TE as a rookie. Still he had a pretty good rookie year, showing flashes of great promise at times as he moved past their other TE (whose name I forget, but who was not a stiff) as the season progressed.

His second year was supposed to be his coming out party and he was expected to really step up big and become a star. Then, he got hurt. He came back and got hurt again. Still, he wasn't bad when he was on the field. He had 55 catches, 4 for TDs and 530 yards in 15 games, but only 11 starts.

A lot of people were looking for him to follow that up with a big breakout year in his third season, but he got hurt again, played in only 10 games (9 starts), but this time he wasn't anywhere near as effective. With McNair gone and replaced by V.Young, it is hard to say how effective he could have been that season had he been fully healthy, but it wasn't a good season for him and it was a turning point in his career with the Titans.

While Troupe was injured that year, his place in the starting lineup was taken by Bo Scaife--who, not so coincidently, was Vince Young's starting TE at Texas. When Troupe came back last season, a lot of people still thought that he was going to have a breakout year, but Scaife was firmly ensconced in the Titans' starting lineup and Troupe could not move past him on the depth chart, even though he was fully healthy. With the Titans having taken precautions against him getting hurt again at TE, he sank to 3rd on the depth chart and saw more and more limited action as the season progressed, although he did appear in 16 games. (In part this was due to the fact that Troupe is more of a receiving TE, while Hartsock is more of a blocking TE and the kind of TE that would be used as the 2nd TE in a two-TE formation.)

While I don't know to what extent his injuries may have limited him, if he's fully healthy, athletically, Troupe is a 1st Round talent. In that regard, he has the ability to be everything that you would want the Bills to get at the TE position.

Mentally and maturity-wise, he had a long way to go coming out of college, but he has been around for 4 years and getting injured and losing your job does have a way of sobering up a lot of guys. I think that this is going to be the area that the Bills are going to be looking closely at when they talk with him. IMHO, this, as much as anything will be where they will make a decision about whether they will make him an offer or not.

If his injuries have not robbed him of significant athletic ability, Troupe is a real thorough-bred athlete--there aren't a lot of guys at his position who started out with more sheer athletic ability. But, like thorough-bred horses, a lot of thorough-bred athletes have a tendency to get hurt--they will miss a game or two here and there or suffer a major injury because they will try to do things that other, less athletically-gifted players won't even attempt or be asked to do. And, that has been the case with Troupe.

Also, because of their athletic ability, thorough-bred athletes often get a "pass" early on if they "aren't the brightest bulb on the tree" or are immature or don't work hard. And, from some reports, that, also, was the case to a certain extent with Troupe, at least initially, as well.

The Bills are going to have to talk with Troupe--look at his medical records, but, most importantly, try to ascertain if the rough season that he had last year has made him determined to get his career back on track--before they make any decision about signing him.

If they determine that he is ready to come back with a renewed sense of determination to recapture the career that he had the potential to have coming into the league, he could be a terrific signing because he has the athletic ability to be a serious deep-threat and has good hands.

And, he may not be that expensive. He's been to Tampa Bay, but they have Alex Smith, who they are paying big money to and they may not be that interested in giving Troupe that much. The Bills, with three low-paid players on the roster at the position and just Royal getting any kind of money, may be able to offer a bit more if they think that he is ready to finally have a breakout season.

Signing him would be a risk. But, that's where the Bills FO and coaches will have to decide where Troupe's head is at these days. Athletically, if he's fully healthy again, he has the goods.

Summary:

Troupe hasn't been inconsistent when he has played in the way that Royal, Gaines, Campbell, etc. have been--he was actually pretty good and looking like he was on the verge of becoming a star before he started getting hurt.

He did, however, miss a lot of time due to injuries over a two year period before returning to health last season.

The switch from McNair to V.Young at QB was a setback for him, particularly because he was replaced in the starting lineup by Young's college TE.

The fact that he was hurt so much led the Titans to make provisions to move ahead without him. The TEs that they brought in to replace him were able to do something Troupe could not--stay healthy. And, they were a better fit for what the Titans wanted to do with V.Young at QB than Troupe, who was a better fit in the offense the Titans had when S.McNair was their QB. Most importantly for the Titans, though, Scaife and Hartsock proved that they could be counted on to stay healthy.

There are risks in signing Troupe. His maturity is a question-mark and, biggest of all, is: can he stay healthy.

However, on the other hand, if he is fully healthy now, he is a tremendous athlete, capable of being a dangerous deep threat. In an offense that utilizes his talents, he can be a star--if he can stay healthy.

The Bills are going to have to decide whether they are willing to take the risks that come with Troupe--and at what price. Signing Troupe would give them the luxury of being able to draft a TE in the 3rd or 4th Round who has the talent to be a starter, but may need some time to develop before he is ready to step up into that role, like a Martin Rucker (the gifted athlete from Missouri who has great hands and the potential to be a star in the NFL, but who was never called on to block much in college and will need time to work on his blocking before he is ready to be a starting TE in the NFL).
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[mikemac2001]

:clap: Great post lifetime

[Al the Bills Fan]

I think he is a better option then Crumpler or Utecht. He is a big kid with good hands who was underutilized in a horrible passing offense thanks to Vince Young.

[Al the Bills Fan]

:clap: Great post lifetime

Yeah man, great post!

[TedMock]

Thanks for the insight, Lifetime.

Having read everything, it appears as if it could be an easy decision (provided he's willing to sign). Having been off the radar for two years, we aren't going to pay much for him. If he ends up the 2nd TE, then he's paid accordingly and it's no big deal. If he's over the injuries and maturity issues, thus getting back on track - we got a great deal.

There doesn't seem to be a real risk either way as far as I can tell - unless, of course, we grossly overpay him immediately, but I don't think that will happen in this instance.