Bucs after Dark: Tampa Bay Buccaneers still need a slot receiver

With Adam Humphries walking away from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency last week, the team must find their next reliable target at slot receiver.

The first week of free agency has come and gone, and it has seen former Tampa bay Buccaneers’ slot receiver Adam Humphries head to the Tennessee Titans on a four-year deal worth $8 million annually, too steep of a price tag for the Bucs to match. Eight days into free agency, Tampa Bay does not have a replacement on the roster.

Or do they? It would seem like a stretch, but head coach Bruce Arians could give Justin Watson and Bobo Wilson every opportunity to win the job at slot receiver. However, the two have a total combined six catches in their career, so the Bucs need to have their options open.

As far as the rest of the receiving core is concerned, the Buccaneers have it covered; two big bodied outside threats in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, and a deep threat in newly signed Breshad Perriman. All that is needed is that pesky slot receiver.

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There are still some players worth taking a peek at in free agency such as Justin Hardy or restricted free agent Rashard Higgins, but at this point the Bucs may be better off doing their homework through the draft.

Fellow Clemson Tiger Hunter Renfrow will be around in day-three, presumably the earliest he would come off of the board is in the fifth round. Other late round options include Greg Dortch from Wake Forest or Olamide Zaccheaus from the University of Viriginia. The Bucs could opt to use a day-two pick on a slot as well and target a versatile Deebo Samuel who could play both inside and outside of the numbers; our own Jamil King takes a deeper look here.

With the amount of vertical threats that the Buccaneers offense has in Evans, Godwin, Perriman, and tight end O.J. Howard, finding a guy who can get open underneath coverage, like Humphries did so well a year ago, will be vital for Tampa Bay. How they choose to address that hole in their roster is worth keeping a close eye on.