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Tampa Bay Buccaneers: There’s something special about WR Adam Humphries

By Jose Martinez

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At 5-foot-11, Adam Humphries is the shortest player on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ wide receiving corps. But, throughout the preseason, Humphries stood head and shoulders above the pack.

After failing to hear his name announced in this year’s draft, the Clemson product was one of the 13 undrafted players picked up by the Buccaneers. Once again, Humphries appeared to be an afterthought, behind wide receivers like UCF’s Josh Reese and Rannell Hall. Then, when the preseason came to an end, it was the 22-year-old wideout who led the team in catches (9) and receiving yards (139).

Putting his stats on the backburner, the eye test proves that there is something special about Humphries and what he can provide the offense under Dirk Koetter. Look at the single-season passing yards leaders in NFL history.

When Peyton Manning set the record (5,477), he had Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker on the outside, but he also had Wes Welker. Before Manning, the record was held by Drew Brees, who racked up 5,476 yards in 2011. Aside from Jimmy Graham and Marques Colston, Brees found a reliable target in Darren Sproles. Four years ago, Tom Brady held the single-season passing yards record (5,235). His primary receiver? Welker, who was targeted 173 times.

Welker and Sproles don’t play the same position, but they do have something in common? They are short receiving options who utilize their height to create matchup nightmares. Humphries has the potential to be that type of player for the Buccaneers and I’m not the only one who sees it.

In their preseason finale against the Miami Dolphins, the Bucs drew up a great play to pretty much sneak Humphries into the endzone.

Using the undersized Humphries to catch the defense napping in the red zone or in goal-to-go situations is not only smart, it’s something Welker made a career out of doing. Take a look at this play. Or this one.

While opposing defenses will still need to focus their attention on stopping Mike Evans, Vincent Jackson, Austin Seferian-Jenkins and Louis Murphy, when the Bucs are near the endzone, don’t sleep on Humphries. The rest of the league, you’ve been warned.

Next: Cuts made by the Bucs to get to 53-man roster

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