Moving On From Adam Humphries

March 10th, 2019

After one source checked in with Joe about the Buccaneers’ slot receiver position, Joe called in a favor to another source yesterday.

The verdict is that the Bucs and their most reliable receiver, Adam Humphries, expect to part ways this week.

The market will embrace the fifth-year receiver when the “tampering” window opens tomorrow on prospective free agents. The Bucs love and respect Humphries but Joe was told the team wants to get faster at the slot position and on a secondary note, Bucco Bruce Arians desires an upgrade at punt returner.

But like everything else in the NFL, the Humphries decision is about money — for the Bucs and for Humphries — and how Arians will set priorities within his offense. The Bucs attempted 39 passes per game last season and hope to cut that in the neighborhood of 10 percent while getting more from their tight ends.

What all of this means for DeSean Jackson’s future is unclear at this time.

Joe’s going to miss undrafted Humphries, formerly known here as “Rudy!” After the wacky situation with good NFL safeties getting shunned by the market last season, Joe can only hope at this point that something freakish like that happens to the slot-receiver market in the next 72 hours and the Bucs get the financial miracle they’ll need to bring back Humphries.

62 Responses to “Moving On From Adam Humphries”

  1. jason Light Says:

    Only avg fans dont realize hump only caught wide open passes in garbage time!

  2. Grt1 Says:

    Humo is a solid player, I wish him well

  3. BigBucKy13 Says:

    Why let a guy like Humphries go who produces and works hard and is committed to this team? All this dead weight they have like Benenoch and Gholston and Allen and Conte and Jackson and they can’t cut some of these guys to make room for Humphries? I don’t get it.

  4. tmaxcon Says:

    see ya… we lost with ya and will continue lose without ya

    In all sincerity, my deepest condolences to all the low standard heart broken loser bucfans with man-crushes on low ceiling mediocre players…

  5. FLBoyInDallas Says:

    Danny Amendola was cut by the Dolphins as a cap casualty. He’s faster than Hump and has a ton of experience. He’d also come at about half the price ($4 to $5 million a year) because he’s a bit older now. Wouldn’t mind the Bucs taking a good look at him.

  6. Couch Fan Says:

    While I never was a Hump fan nor ever understood why so many were so infatuated with him, I did appreciate the effort and hard work he put in as well as the great team attitude he had. I knew this was coming though, no way we were going to pay the kind of money he wanted for a #3 or #4 receiver. Best of luck Hump wherever you go.

  7. tmaxcon Says:

    BigBucKy13 Says:
    March 10th, 2019 at 11:08 am

    Why let a guy like Humphries go who produces and works hard and is committed to this team? All this dead weight they have like Benenoch and Gholston and Allen and Conte and Jackson and they can’t cut some of these guys to make room for Humphries? I don’t get it.

    all that is cute n all but hump has no upside, low ceiling player not worth 2million a year…. he is a 5 or 6 at best and the most boring player in the entire nfl returning punts. bye bye….

    free advice, popularity or a wes walker comparison because he is white does not make him good much less great…

  8. AwShbucs Says:

    Regardless of what you think about Adam Humphries, dude gave 100 percent of himself at all times and has improved every season.

    I’d personally prefer to keep the 25 year old up and come in lieu of the 31 year old rabble rouser. But with that being said, you should never give A- money to a B level player. Over paying players never works out.

    Adam Thilien is one of the best Recievers in the league and is set to make 7.5 million in 2019-20. I’ll be shocked if some team really jumps the shark and pays Hump 10 mil plus.

  9. AwShbucs Says:

    *up and comer*

  10. Bobby M. Says:

    He’s productive but I’ve said for a few years now….Jackson can run the same routes with the added dimension of elite speed. Jackson has the potential to take every pass for a TD…Hump was productive, would grind out a first down, but was never a break way threat…Wont shock me if Atlanta signs him.

  11. Pryda30.... sec 147 Says:

    Nice guy finish last

  12. SB Says:

    FLBoyInDallas Says:
    March 10th, 2019 at 11:10 am
    Danny Amendola was cut by the Dolphins as a cap casualty. He’s faster than Hump and has a ton of experience. He’d also come at about half the price ($4 to $5 million a year) because he’s a bit older now. Wouldn’t mind the Bucs taking a good look at him.

    ___________

    Danny Amendola 40 time 4.58
    Adam Humphries 40 time 4.53

  13. TouchDownTampaBay Says:

    Bobby M, DJax is not to run a bunch of slot routes for any team. He is unwilling to do whatever it takes to win. Same reason he told Koetter he wouldn’t return punts last year.

  14. DB55 Says:

    Lolololololol

    While Chucky making huge moves you geniuses are still talking about this bum slow as 5th string wr

    I remember virtually all of the TB media laughing at Chucky last season about how he can’t build a team. Just wait and see.

    Gruden > BA

    When Gruden drafts Haskins and signs LB jaws will drop.

  15. bucsfaninchina Says:

    You know Licht wanted to resign him, the way he puts his picks and especially his undrafted FAs up on a pedestal.

    Seems like a good guy, hope he makes some decent cheddar on a winner.

  16. Easy Says:

    Good luck in the future Hump. Hope you sign with a winning organization aside from playing for this Sh!t franchise run by owners who love soccer.

  17. Not there yet Says:

    Great points they do need The upgrade in doors at slot and returner. Stop talking like he’s not replaceable, the team was still 5-11 so yes they can do better. He was an undrafted free agent so yes they can find a replacement.

  18. Bird Says:

    Hunter renfroe In the 5th round

  19. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Conte is not under contract……not cut material…..

  20. ATrain Says:

    Good idea let the hard working receiver WHO catches the ball leave

    Keep the guy who doesn’t want to be here and hates to work for 13 million

    But y’all want to keep the 31 year old softie who will make millions to make a couple sacks and 3 tackles

    Know why New England gets the BEST out of players
    Because the TEAM DEMANDS HARD WORK and they don’t care what your name is

    How many “mediocre “ receivers have New England SuperBowl rings

    Superstars don’t make a team. Ask anyone who played with TO or Moss

  21. Andrew Says:

    GL Hump. Been saying we need to get faster, with or without DeSean. I see Cam Brate gone too and John brown making his way to tampa.

  22. AlteredEgo Says:

    Deeboo Samuel….great fit…ain’t happening unless there are extra picks in a trade down scenario…

  23. ATrain Says:

    DJax won’t take the hits in the slot

    He didn’t return because he doesn’t want to take big hits

    So break away speed doesn’t matter if you won’t catch the ball first

    Hump is dangerous because he will catch anything near him and gets open
    He made the first downs when we need them that’s how you win

    How many break away TDs did DJax have last year???

    DJax and GMC have one thing in common —Time to start their HS Coaching career

  24. Todd Says:

    @bird

    Hunter Renfrow will make us fondly recall Adam Humphries forever, but not miss him one little bit. He’s a reliable, steady-eddy receiver with wonderfully good hands.

  25. TOM Says:

    Yea Licht save money & get rid of Hump, but sign lazy ass to 12 mil & resign washed uped old man Dotson. The Bucs deserve Licht since both are losers.

  26. University of Seffner Says:

    Choosing Jackson over Humphries is as in the words of wisdom from Todd Monken: “We choose to suck”. Humphries works hard, Jackson is lazy. Humphries shows character, Jackson shows $&@+. Humphries deserves $10 Money, Jackson deserves a kick in the @$$.

  27. Mike Johnson Says:

    Best of Luck to you Adam. You will always have the respect from most of us Buc fans. No doubt you will be an asset to the team lucky enough to obtain your services. Hump is and was a warrior for us. We can’t keep everybody. And we are quite talented at the receiver positions. Still think we need to Dump DJ though.

  28. StoutGospel Says:

    Renfrow will be gone by the 4th likely. Plenty of teams are more than all over him too. Just like NE took that Braxton Berrios kid last year outta Miami in the 6th or 7th, then he tore his ACL early on. That’s their next Edelman.

    We will know quite a bit more about Licht by week’s end, after initial 72 hour FA wave.

    Woulda thought BA would have at least bought Bell for his DJ 2.0 chip he needs in this offense. Rather than letting the Raiders buy Bell too.

    Go Bucs! Land Quinnen!

  29. What the buc Says:

    Agree with Hunter Renfrow. I think he’ll go in the 7th though. Hump is one of my favorite players but he’s going to make more than we can pay for a number 3 receiver. Hump leaving doesn’t mean that we don’t want him. It just means that it doesn’t make financial sense.

  30. Cobraboy Says:

    Losing Humphries feels a lot like losing past excellent Bucs when they no longer made financial sense.

    I’d love to have him back, but no longer expect it.

    It’ll be a sad day, but that is football business.

  31. Tackleblockwin Says:

    I like Hump. If he leaves in free agency and we trade/cut Jackson we will need another WR. I know we need Dline in 1st rd but I really like Metcalf. Could you imagine Metcalf, Evans, Godwin lol.

  32. Cobraboy Says:

    Another guy who fits the Humphries storylike is Vinny Papale, WR from Delaware. He’s the son of a former teammate, Vinnie Papale ofInvincible fame.

    His kid is 6′, 205 and runs a 4.5. He played in an offense that didn’t throw much, but when given a chance excelled. He’d also be a headhunter on ST’s like his dad. He’s a smart kid, very tough, with a massive heart for football.

    Would love to see him in Bucs Camp, most likely he’ll be a UFA.

    I’m pretty sure links aren’t allowed but Brian Baldinger talks about Vinny Papale in his Twitter feed, all positive.

  33. University of Seffner Says:

    Correction: $10,000,000

  34. Issaic haggins Says:

    The Guy has way above avg make the first guy miss wiggle and awareness of the first down line of gain . Both super valuable in a slot receiver !!!

    Although he’s still a 4 mil talent !!!

    Best of Luck Hump !!!

  35. JimmyJack Says:

    Hump has been a valuable player for us. Some of y’all don’t want to believe that so I guess you don’t think first downs are valuable.

    This year we will be in a new offense so will he be just as valuable? One look at his slot position shows that Arians previously used Larry Fitzgerald and Reggie Wayne in that position.

    Hump don’t seem to be the type of player Bruce wants in a slot receiver. If they did bring back Hump he might have to work the outside which is not a good spot for him. If they bring back Hump I’m not sure his production would be worth it. I love the guy but I’m more then cool with BA doing different things with our WRs and moving on from Hump.

    If your going to pay somebody 10M you better have a defined role for him and give him tons of opportunity to produce. Otherwise your wasting resources.

  36. JimmyJack Says:

    Wow some of you guys bite down hard on hype. The dude ran a 4.3 on a flat track…..thats about it. Now you wanna mortgage the future for DJ Metcalf?

    We got a top place passing team and a last place defense. A WR changes absolutely nothing.

  37. tmaxcon Says:

    JimmyJack

    NO ONE IS VALUABLE ON A BASEMENT DWELLER…. scoreboard

  38. JimmyJack Says:

    Issaic Haggins…..Thank you. Hump is way above average is a few catergories. He is also way above average at taking shots over the middle & on punt receptions……….Some of the tan base will never respect these traits or pay them any credit because they don’t make ESPN highlights. This is what I know.

  39. JimmyJack Says:

    Your perception of valuable is not reality. Now go scroll over to the Gruden page and whine about our loss from 1999.

  40. BucEmUp 7 Says:

    How about riley ridley?

  41. Joeypoppems Says:

    I don’t see why Godwin cant play in the slot. The league is about creating mismatches and now we have a coach who is probably creative enough to design mismatches.

    Im not saying move Godwin inside permanently, but from what Im reading in the comments, some of you are saying we need to replace a small white receiver with another small white receiver just because small white receivers are the stereotype “slot guys”.

    If Hump and Djax are both gone then WR becomes a need. Guys like Hunter Renfrow and Amendola don’t need to be the answer just because they fit the stereotype.

  42. D-Rome Says:

    NO ONE IS VALUABLE ON A BASEMENT DWELLER

    This right here. No one should be safe on a consistent basement dweller. Not saying the team should get rid of everyone, but there should be no loyalty to losers.

  43. adam from ny Says:

    hump had a great year last year…but some forget, the season before that was not too memorable…a lot of mistakes, fumbles, etc..remember the buffalo game?…

    i like hump and want him back too…don’t get me wrong…

    the problem is bruce thinks he doesn’t look good in a kangol…

    in order to be one of bruce’s guys, he calls you into the office and asks you what your favorite color is…and what’s the size of your noggin…he then digs into boxes and pulls out your color kangol in your size…says:”throw this on mofo”…and if you look stupid in his preferred headwear, you are not a buccaneer man…

    so hump must be lookin’ foolish in that orange clemson flavored kangol in a size medium…

    word on the streets is the kangol kidd is pulling some mr. rogers type sheet around “two buc place”

    yes i called it 2 buc place — because that’s about how much we can spend in free agency this year

    #TwoBucPlace

  44. adam from ny Says:

    godwin can play slot…he’s a banger too…responds well to contact and can break thru creases and seams better than hump…but he also does well on the outside…without hump, you use godwin in the slot “at times”…not always

  45. adam from ny Says:

    fugg around???…i would throw oj howard in the slot on occasion too

  46. LJS4th Says:

    Typical Bucs move – Keep the garbage and throw out the groceries!!! The Bucs will suck again!!!

  47. Bucsalltheway Says:

    Seems ariana remembers the Arizona blowout game where Humphries started wr2 opposite of Evans and struggled all game to get separation.

  48. Joeypoppems Says:

    @adam from ny

    Exactly. Like I said, the NFL today is about creating mismatches. Fans are looking at the stereotype “slot” WR to replace Hump. The Bucs have more options than that.

    Lets not forget that Larry Fitz played in the slot almost 50% of the time when BA was in Ari.

  49. jason Light Says:

    wher is russel sheppard now lol!

  50. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    If Humphries leaves…they will keep Jackson and play him in the slot.

    Gotta say…I have not seen two moves by this new regime that I like. It;s early, but man…I have not been encouraged.

  51. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    adam from ny Says
    “hump had a great year last year…but some forget, the season before that was not too memorable…a lot of mistakes, fumbles, etc.”

    That is simply not true. you are rewriting history. Hump had one fumble all year last year.

    And, btw…he also managed more than 10 yards a catch 3 years straight and raised his yards each year.

    Godwin is not going to be our slot WR.

    Here’s the issue I have with this: We developed Humphries, and right when he is finally paying off, this new regime is cutting ties? It’s stupid.

    Humphries is more important than Kwon, and maybe more so than Smith.

  52. Rod Munch Says:

    I don’t dislike Hump, but how many games did he lose for the team versus how many did he win for the team? I can’t think of any he won for the team but I can certainly think of at least one that he lost.

    We will miss his preseason punt returns however, he always had a great one against future FedEx drivers.

    Again, I really don’t dislike Hump, but the love for him is ridiculous. Sure, he caught a bunch of passes, and most of those passes were at or near the LOS – where he played a bigger role in the passing game after Charles Sims was injured and released. He’s good in that role, but how much do you pay the 6th receiving option on team (Evans, Godwin, Jackson, OJ, Brate are all ahead of him on the importance depth chart).

    Anyways we’ll see what they do in the draft, and perhaps free agency, but personally I have a lot of faith in Bobo stepping into that position and doing just as well – while being a better returner. That’s if Bobo doesn’t talk his way off the team. As for Watson, he’s a wild card since he didn’t see much of him, but the little we did see of him was encouraging.

    With all that said you don’t let Hump go AND let D-Jax go – if you did that suddenly you don’t have a 3rd or 4th WR and you just took a position of strength and made it into a position with no depth. Again Watson might step right into that #3 role and be awesome, but that’s a big risk.

    Anywho Hump go get the biggest most massive deal you can get – and get the Bucs a comp pick in the process.

  53. JimmyJack Says:

    Bonzai…..Bruce knows what kind of offense he is going to run. What if he is looking at running packages that don’t include Hump? Should we really pay him 10M to be on the field less then half the time?

    I don’t think his role would be the same in Bruce’s offense like it was under Dirk. I mainly say that be ause Bruce used Larry Fitzgerald & Reggie Wayne in the slot in his offense. It’s clear that he he has a completely different use for his slot WR then we are used to. This might really hurt Humps value to this team.

    You shouldn’t be paying players based on past success if you don’t have a plan in place to replicate that success. This is the main reason I think we let Hump walk.

  54. Rod Munch Says:

    Buccaneer Bonzai – Hump had two fumbles on punt returns against the Browns along, he retreated and recovered them but if memory serves correct both were inside the 5 yard line, with one at the one yard line. I am doing this by memory so perhaps I remember it wrong, but Hump had a number of muffed punts where he lost yards – that’s in addition to being one of the worst returners in the league. But, to be fair, that’s on Dirk for not putting someone else out there. When you have a guy who is literally hurting your team, and not giving you anything (as far as punt returns go) then you take them out of the game, in particular when you have D-Jax there who is an incredible punt returner. I don’t care if D-Jax wants to return punts or not, he’s doing it if I’m coaching the team – and since Arians comes from the Ray Perkins coaching tree, I’m pretty sure he’s going to say the same thing.

    As for other Hump fumbles, I’ll assume you’re correct in that he only lost one this past year. Of course last year he lost that fumble against the Bills and lost that game and I’m still 100% convinced it changed the entire season. Meanwhile I can’t think of a single game he ever won for the team.

    I don’t dislike the guy, I wish they could work out a deal that made sense for both (in the $5m range) but if someone is going to look at his stat sheet and give him a big deal, then there’s nothing the Bucs can do about it.

  55. JimmyJack Says:

    I’ll support it if they bring Jackson back. I really haven’t liked him at all in his entire time here as a Buc because he has played below expectations.

    But I got no problems bringing back someone of his skillset for Bruce to work with. Really think we could start to see actual rewards with better coaching. If they let him walk it probably means the problems we’re irreparable.

    But I’m keeping an open mind. Think a lot of fans read all the critism and now hate the guy. Don’t let the media controller your emotions. Don’t hate him just his production. If my coach wants him back I’m trusting in that over some journalist who isn’t even a Tampa Bay fan telling me how awful he is(propably a lot to do with personal relationship too. Not as much about production).

  56. RODNEY J ALLEN Says:

    Joepoppems I think Godwin would probably do pretty good in the slot role he has closer to the size BA likes in the slot. I like Hump but no way we can or even should pay him 7 to 10 mil to be our #3 or #4 receiver but he deserves the chance to make it somewhere. Now if we dropped DJax n paid hump 4 to 6 mil n draft a solid speedster who has great hands n catch radius somewhere around th e 3rd or 4th round I’d be ok with that too

  57. Wesley Says:

    Big mistake!

  58. “That guy” Says:

    Big mistake for TB. Tmaxcon man crushes on large black men or he would have the same opinion. Wich also makes him a racist.

  59. JDR Says:

    Dumb move.

  60. Jinjaw Says:

    All the racists are going to be pissed their favorite player is leaving

  61. Ed Says:

    Humpries improved tremendously from ’17 to ’18 as he learned how to hold onto the ball when getting hit unmercifully after catch. His game is reliability and availability. Godwin hasn’t shown the same ability to hold on after a catch so he’s not really the exact player you had in Humphries. He does have more YAC ability than Adam did.

    Unfortunately the Bucs have too much money tied up in pass catchers with Evans, Jackson and Brate taking a lot of money that the team can’t afford to pay Jackson money to Hump. I just hope that the Eagles pull off the trade for DeSean so the Bucs can get a little more salary cap room to sign some offensive guards and safeties in free agency.

    I’m like many on this board, of the belief that you cannot justify paying McCoy as a top 5 defensive tackle with all the good ones you can draft. McCoy’s game has slipped so much from ’15/’16 to now and stamina is a big issue with him. He always made his big plays in the first half and would wilt in the 4th quarter, appearing on camera to be gassed.

  62. BucsFIRE Says:

    Jinjaw Says:
    “All the racists are going to be pissed their favorite player is leaving”

    ———-

    What a ridiculous comment.
    What does that make Jameis?.. who also credits Hump with being one of his favorite players?