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TE Troupe To Visit Bucs On Saturday |
 TE Ben Troupe went from being a starter to a being backup in Tennessee (Getty Images) |
The Bucs are expected to sign former Chicago tight end John Gilmore on Friday night and they could continue to add depth to their tight end position on Saturday when Ben Troupe visits. The Bucs are looking for a multi-faceted tight end who can block and be a receiving threat and Troupe, a University of Florida native, has that ability.
PewterReport.com is reporting that former Tennessee TE Ben Troupe is scheduled to visit the Buccaneers on Saturday. His agent, Joel Segal confirmed the visit.
The 6-foot-4, 270-pound Troupe was a second-round draft pick out of the University of Florida in 2004 and has played in 55 games with the Titans, recording 106 catches for 1,056 yards and seven touchdowns in his NFL career. Troupe's best season came in 2005 in which he recorded season highs in catches (55), yards (530) and touchdowns (four). Troupe's production fell off dramatically over the last two years as he caught just 13 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns in 2006 and only five passes for 47 yards and zero TDs in 2007.
Troupe fractured his right ankle in November of 2006 and he was placed on injured reserve. Troupe was beat out for the starting job last year by Bo Scaife, who played collegiately at Texas with Tennessee quarterback Vince Young.
The Bucs are expected to sign Chicago tight end John Gilmore to a three-year deal on Friday night once he arrives in Tampa. Gilmore will join starter Alex Smith and reserves Keith Heinrich and Daniel Fells on Tampa Bay's roster at the tight end position.
The Bucs lost Anthony Becht and Jerramy Stevens to free agency and are in need of one more veteran tight end, which explains the interest in Troupe. Tampa Bay also brought in former Atlanta Pro Bowl tight end Alge Crumpler for a physical and a visit last Tuesday. Crumpler has visited with Tennessee and Seattle and may sign with Seahawks this weekend.
In addition to Troupe, Segal also told PewterReport.com that the Bucs have expressed some interest in two of his other clients, WR Bryant Johnson (Arizona) and WR Drew Carter (Carolina), but neither has a visit to One Buc Place planned.
MORE FREE AGENCY VISITS
Keep track of all of the Tampa Bay's visits that PewterReport.com has been able to confirm on the Bucs Free Agency Tracker on the PewterReport.com message boards.
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Comments
Horse
This would be a cheap pick up and then Stevens would be out of the picture. I might eat my words about Stevens signing with the Bucs. I like this kid out of UF, but I hate to not sign Stevens.
Go Bucs
10:17pm, February 29, 2008
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