Stop The Victor Cruz Silly Talk

February 13th, 2017

Jason Licht is of sound mind

See what happens when Bucs fans have a receiving corps littered with expired leftovers?

Bucs fans start to lose their minds.

Yes, the silly season ramped up today with Tampa Bay faithful pining for new Giants castoff receiver Victor Cruz, a 30-year-old slot guy who seems to have lost a step after a major knee injury, a guy who hasn’t been special since 2013.

Cruz does not qualify as a #WeaponForWinston — unless he’s being compared to Russell Shepard, Bernard Reedy, Josh Huff and Freddie Martino, or to wounded Vincent Jackson and Cecil Shorts.

Cruz caught 39 of 72 balls thrown his way by Eli Manning last year for 586 yards and one touchdown. Adam “Rudy” Humphries of the Bucs, who turned 24 last month, hauled in 55 of 83 balls from America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, and found the end zone twice.

The Bucs just don’t need an expensive slot guy unless he’s clearly better than Humphries, and there’s no evidence that Cruz has recaptured the juice that used to make him a consistent explosive threat. He caught just 15 balls in the Giants’ final eight games last year.

Yes on receivers. No on Cruz.

42 Responses to “Stop The Victor Cruz Silly Talk”

  1. Ben the Ga Buc Says:

    I knew this would come up on JBF.

    We’re desperate for #WeaponsforWinston, but not that desperate.

  2. LUVMYBUCS Says:

    Pierre Garcon

    There’s a “combination” of cheaper options in FA
    • Terrance Williams WR 27
    • Kendall Wright WR 27
    • Marquise Goodwin WR 26
    • Justin Hunter WR 25
    • Marquess Wilson WR 24

  3. grafikdetail Says:

    90% of humphries catches were bubble screens

  4. 941BUC Says:

    He was released for the same amount of cap space Doug martin was owed this year.if we can bring him in for say 2.5mil at 3-4 yrs then go for it.it would be good depth and competition/teacher for all other WRs and any of we get in the draft.

  5. LakeLandBuc Says:

    I would take a 24 year old Robert Woods. 203 Receptions over 4 seasons in a offense that was ranked..28th, 18th, 28th, 30th during his 4 seasons there.And we wouldn’t have to break the bank for him.

  6. LakeLandBuc Says:

    Buffalo * passing offense* was ranked 28th, 18th, 28th, 30th during Robert woods 4 years there. He would fit well into the Bucs ” Vertical Offense”.

  7. Tampa Tony Says:

    When your GM failed to add any weapons last off season fans see the “name” player and get desperate

  8. Defense Rules Says:

    grafikdetail … interesting statistic. Two quick questions: (1) how are you defining ‘bubble screen’; and (2) where’d you find that 90% statistic for Humphries? Always interested in good sources of information.

  9. webster Says:

    Victor cruz idea is just as crazy as roddy white was last year

  10. DallasBuc Says:

    He is an upgrade over any other 2 on this team even if he isn’t what he once was. Stop poopooing imperfect improvement prospects. The goal is to improve and we have the means to do it. This is not complicated

  11. delson Says:

    Lol @webster right?

  12. Boomer33 Says:

    The Giants did not use Cruz as a slot receiver last year, they used him on the outside. If we can get him on the cheap and use the guy the way he was used when he was a bonafide weapon, I would at least consider it.

  13. Capt. Blighe Says:

    It’s not like we only need one receiver, we need 3 minimum.

  14. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    Pretty much sums up how I feel about Victor Cruz.

  15. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    Victor Cruz is not nearly as good as Evans or Humphries. And Humphries is right at the spot in development when he’ll take a big leap forward anyway. The kid is going to be real good.

    I think we have our top 3 WRs on the team already to be honest.

  16. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    Fans always want new blood. What’s wrong with developing the guys we have or bringing in developmental guys that will last a lot longer and are healthier so they can grow with the QB?

  17. 941BUC Says:

    So check this ideal I have Joe….CHARLES SIMS AS A SLOT RECEIVER! The guy has speed…and I can bet you he has great break away speed once he has the ball in his hands. you seen his moves in traffic and how shifty he is.now imagine in the open field.I say make him slot receiver,ME13 #1,get Jackson in FA for the #2 spot keep ,keep Cecil shorts,resign VJax, and theirs your receiving corps

  18. Blake_bucsfan Says:

    @941BUC you’re about 2 years too late on that one bub. LOL.

  19. Blake_bucsfan Says:

    And no to Vjax and to shorts.

    We need some new meat. Replace Jackson with Kenny stills/ Djax and replace Shorts with Curtis Samuel.

  20. Mike Evans GOAT Says:

    @bonzai
    Who is ur #2 we? ME13 is the #1 hump is the #3 who is ur #2? Please don’t say shepherd!!!!! That would cause riots in the streets if we went into this season with shepherd as our #2. Come on now ur smarter than that

  21. SB Says:

    Our No. 2 will be Garcon or DJax. We Will pick up Campbell or Short in FA. This I am pretty sure of. If this happens then we have Mucho options with the first three picks as the top two needs will have been met temporarily through FA. Man it is good times to be a Bucs fan Again!

  22. Buc1987 Says:

    Stop The Dalvin Cook Silly Talk

  23. Buc1987 Says:

    lol

  24. Not there yet Says:

    I would if Jason Licht was a fan of this website that time ended as soon as you posted this photo of him

  25. Gencoimports Says:

    I’m done with Humphries. He should only be more effective as a slot man next year, particularly if the Bucs draft a speedy WR on the outside.

  26. IndyBucsFan Says:

    I sure wish we would’ve had two Adam humphries going down the stretch last year. Smh

    If he provides better competition for the 4th or 5th spot and ends up winning the job it’s a win win! We get better he gets to play. If he sucks we cut him.

  27. Kevin Says:

    I’m all aboard the Kenny Britt train. When you look at production considering the surrounding cast, age, durability, contract Kenny Britt is probably the highest value and ceiling player available this FA. Makes a lot of sense. Look for speed in the draft. Also give James more time to find his receivers…..I’m not a coach but that last one might help too.

  28. Trubucfan22 Says:

    I dont think that 90% stat is a factual stat. More of a guess just from watching games. If i were a betting man the over/under of percentage of balls caught less than 5 yards from LOS, i would probably say over 80%. I can only remember a hand full of passes he caught that were actually down field. One was the tipped TD he caught that probably should have been intercepted. Maybe a crossing route or 2, but hump is pretty limited as a route runner. He can’t get seperation. Which is why he is used on screens all the time. It is his 1 strength. I would love to see the actual number if anyone keeps that type of stat.

  29. Gencoimports Says:

    I meant I am down with Humphries.

  30. Buc1987 Says:

    Gencoimports Says:
    February 13th, 2017 at 10:44 pm

    “I meant I am down with Humphries.”

    1 Hour later.

    You poor thing. Most of us got it the 1st time. Even us drinkin’ folk.

  31. R.O. Says:

    Fragile…. I’ll bet you $100,000,000 that 90% of Humphries catches weren’t WR screens.

  32. firethecannons Says:

    remember hump’s dallas touchdown–it was sweet

  33. BarmoreJ Says:

    VictorCruz would be a fine signing for the right price.

    If he’s willing to take a smaller role for less money to have a shot to revive his career on an up-and-coming team, why not?

  34. cmurda Says:

    I haven’t heard anyone pining over Cruz. In fact, it was mere hours ago I even learned of his availability. With that said, sign Victor Cruz. I’m kidding. I am all over Desean Jackson but his recent comments about wanting to stay with the Skins are saddening. Less than 2 months ago he said he wanted to test the market. Whatever it is, get a speed guy that can make plays…Ahem. Desean Jackson. Not a possession receiver like…ahem…Pierre Garcon.

  35. tnew Says:

    Heres the deal on Humphries. Kind of tired of everyone acting like he’s Wes Welker or Julian Edelman. Could he become that? Possibly but I’m not sure that is going to be a wide receiver body type that flourishes.

    On Edelman, he was a qb with elite level agility, superior to AH but, it took him 4 years to learn the position. Humphries has a career as a receiver, should be to AH’s advantage but this year will tell there. He should have a major jump.

    Welker doesn’t compare favorably to either physically. He was just slow.

    The problem with this type of receiver is the concussion. Because of their height their head gets way more exposed. They have to make their money in traffic, and they have to extend more times to make a catch. I love AH, truly do but he is going to have to dodge more bullets. Part of his learning process. Welker would not have the same career today. He would’ve missed half of a career in the concussion protocol and probably should have. (although my argument is that the repetitive blows to the head are much more damaging than the individual big shots, today’s NFL is set up to identify and rest the big shot)

    AH should be our 4th option, he would be very good at that and it would limit his exposure. When you have to play him like a number 2, he’s just too exposed.

  36. BucTrooper Says:

    If he wants to come in here for the veteran minimum with an incentive laden contract, I would have no problem with that. I just don’t want to see the Buccaneers sign a name and her name only and that handicaps the rest of their free agency.

  37. BucsFan93 Says:

    To those of you who think Victor Cruz will for whatever reason take a pay cut AND lesser role to play for an “up and coming team,” you’re crazy. If he was willing to do that, he would have just worked out a deal to restructure his contract and stay in the city he loves.
    There is no way we bring in Cruz without over paying him, and that would be yet another mistake.

  38. Erik w/ Clean Athletics 'The Kwon Alexander of Bucs Fans' Says:

    If the Bucs can somehow add: Terrelle Pryor, OJ Howard, and Curtis Samuel from Ohio St, we will literally win the next 10 Superbowls in a row. Not even joking at all.

  39. Gencoimports Says:

    Humphries is not No. 2 quality, but better than decent slot man. Yes, they called too many bubble screens, I blame that on the play calling.

    Buc1987 – SIUYA

  40. Mike Johnson Says:

    If the price was right, Victor Cruz would be a hellava signing. Problem is, he’s gonna want top dollar and somebody will pay him. The guys still got juice and can ball. As LuvMyBucs has pointed out, there are some great FA steals on the market at half of what Cruz will want. Lets see what develops here

  41. shouldhavedraftedefiert Says:

    Joe you really need to put foot in mouth over WR needs. You were pushing Roddy Freakin’ White dood. Check yourself!

  42. shouldhavedraftedefiert Says:

    You see where spending no money on has-beens has gotten us although Shorts was coming on somewhat. Cruz would not come that expensive as you think and the upside is much higher than RODDY WHITE GOOD GOD MAN!