The Titans add a couple of free agents
The Titans finally spent some money but it’s hard to figure out what they were thinking. The Titans gave MLB Ryan Fowler a 4-year, $11.5 million dollar contract to lure him away from the Dallas Cowboys. That seems like a lot of money for a player that only had 24 tackles in the 16 games he played last season.
The Titans also signed WR Justin Gage. Gage played in 8 games for the Chicago Bears last season and he only caught 4 passes for 68 yards (17.0 avg). He has been an underachiever his whole NFL career so I wouldn’t expect him to do much in 2007 for the Titans.
I can’t say much about either of these guys regarding their stats. I do know Fowler was a special teamer/2nd string linebacker for the Cowboys, who if im not mistaken run a 3-4 with ample amounts of LB’s. He is a true middle-LB,which really doesnt pan out in that set. Last season, he led the Cowboys with 24 special teams tackles in 16 games played. As a starter against St. Louis in the finale of the 2005 season (1/1/06), Fowler led the Cowboys in tackles with nine, including two for loss. You might be hearing Ryan Fowler’s name plenty down @ LP Field.
Gage, on the other hand, was taking passes from Grossman all year long. Its hard to rate this guy on the basis of that factor. “Justin is a big, physical and athletic receiver, who has a good deal of playing experience with the Bears,” Titans general manager Mike Reinfeldt said in a statement. “He gives us a different body-type and he will compete for a role within our receiving corps.” Just another addition of a young player whom “will” produce for the Titans in ‘07.
This goes to show, even though stats are very important, you can’t judge someone with lack of enough stats. Go Titans!
Maybe Fowler will be a decent player but I’ve seen Justin Gage play for a long time and he is not a good football player. It’s easy to point the finger at Rex Grossman, but Bernard Berrian beat Gage out rather easily and put up big numbers. Wouldn’t expect much out of Gage. The Titans really need to draft a good receiver in the first or second round of the draft. Because, the Titans will not be better than a .500 team until they can throw the ball some.
Bernard Berrian is a receiver who really steped up last year for the bears. That over the top, beat you with his feet kinda player. So I think you give that one to Berrian, hes probally not as good as a wideout who helped, as a starter, get his team to the superbowl. He is not that caliber, or he would have stepped into a role in that team and been successful. Now hes with us, hopefully his experience can aid our team, with locker room influence or maybe with a little PT. Allz I know is, its not up to Justin, its up to Vince and their defence to step up. So put a guy with no pressure under the lime light and see what he can do for us. Its almost like March Madness, play well enough to get invited, then the slate is cleared and its anyones game. All you have to do is play your ass off.
I don’t think Justin Gage is going to turn into a good football player all of a sudden. He’s had ample opportunities in Chicago to win a starting job and he’s always wound up on the end of the bench….is that just coincidence? I think not.