“They Thought I Was A Trainer”
February 13th, 2016
Joe sure hopes the Bucs address wide receiver in free agency.
Sorry, Kenny Bell fans, Joe might jump on that bandwagon when he catches his first-ever Bucs pass — in preseason or regular season.
Louis Murphy is high-quality depth at receiver, when he’s healthy. Murphy had ACL surgery three months ago. The Bucs cannot rely on that guy for 2016.
Mike Evans is a little injury prone, and has K-Y fingers. Vincent Jackson is old and coming off an injury-plagued, eight-game season. Russell Shepard is a special teams ace. Donteea Dye is a CFL talent.
And that leaves Adam Humphries, who is a great success story as a tryout player last season. But his ceiling might be near what he produced last season: 27 catches for 260 yards on 41 targets. In Joe’s brain, Humphries is a solid No. 5 receiver who also can return punts.
But despite the Bucs’ need for receiver help, Joe won’t discount what Humphries accomplished.
In a chat with the Buccaneers Radio Network in December, Humphries said his exciting arrival to the NFL was met with feelings of not belonging. He said folks around One Buc Palace looked at him funny; “They thought I was a trainer,” he said.
Humphries said his former position coach was a steady voice of encouragement, but it was Dirk Koetter who really jacked up his confidence.
After a good day in spring practice, Humphries recalled what Koetter said to him many hours later. ‘What you did yesterday didn’t go unnoticed,’ Koetter said.
Imagine that. Landing in the NFL and realizing people around the facility don’t think you’re a player.
Humphries came quite a long way.
February 13th, 2016 at 12:11 pm
I think Humphries, along with Bell will make it next year. We still need a WR/kick returner that is super fast, Rainey was safe, and safe don’t get you field position. I have confidense in Licht to draft for the future, as well as today.
February 13th, 2016 at 12:14 pm
Great read…opinion was right on target about the current WR group. I like the Humphries insight…he could be a Steve Tasker (Bills-9th round) type of player; he has the work ethic.
There is only one area of greater need than WR and that is DE. I am hoping we make a splash move in FA that actually produces on the field this time. We have had a string of misses. Bruce Carter was ok last year filling in for Kwon.
February 13th, 2016 at 12:19 pm
I’m on the Humphries bandwagon!
February 13th, 2016 at 12:20 pm
Could it be racial profiling at work?
February 13th, 2016 at 12:37 pm
K-Y fingers – hilarious – happy Valentine’s Day! Haha
February 13th, 2016 at 12:39 pm
Humphries caught most of what was thrown at him, a solid performance. Whether he fits in going forward is for the coaching staff to decide. A speedy good hands receiver will help the overall offense, there is a hole there that needs to be filled outside VJ and the unproven younger players.
February 13th, 2016 at 1:03 pm
I thought Kenny Bell is going to get a crack at the return duties next year? At least that is what he said he wanted to do. Why not with 4.38 speed?
February 13th, 2016 at 1:15 pm
Bell and Humphries certainly deserve a shot and I hope they work out, But I know about the “best laid plans.” If we look to the draft for help I like Braxton Miller. He is a versatile player with enough speed and size to play at a high level in the NFL. And in a pinch he could take snaps in a back-up role.
February 13th, 2016 at 1:25 pm
Hey, it’s better to be mistaken for a trainer than a Probation Officer.
February 13th, 2016 at 1:39 pm
Good QBs made Welker, Amendola and Eddleman look much better than they really are. Two things they all have in common is work ethic and great route running. Jameis will turn that kid into a household name.
February 13th, 2016 at 1:47 pm
That’s it Joe. You unlocked the secret that might FIX Mike Evans.
K-Y jelly. Perhaps he needs to practice catching balls with K-Y jelly. Thus fixing his drop problem. He better get used to them bullets being thrown by The Kid or else he’s going to be a major disappointment and soon.
February 13th, 2016 at 1:59 pm
Yep, I remember telling everyone here to give him a chance when nobody knew of him. Im down the road from Clemson and know what I saw in him and know what I heard about him. Another year or two and he just might be a 3rd. Show em Humphries!!!
February 13th, 2016 at 2:02 pm
Add at least two more WR’s. Jackson and Evans can win a fair share of their one-on-one matchups, but our #3 and #4 receivers rarely win theirs. ASJ giving us consistent play would be huge, I’m just not going to hold my breath on that.
February 13th, 2016 at 2:09 pm
What about ufa Travis Benjamin?
February 13th, 2016 at 3:07 pm
Humphrey is a number 1 slot receiver Joe.
February 13th, 2016 at 3:38 pm
OT:
Do you all think if Jameis were in Cam’s position to recover that fumble late in the super bowl that Jameis would have let up and essentially given up?
The NFL MVP is soft.
February 13th, 2016 at 5:07 pm
Speaking for Pablo
“Pablo was at One Buc Place last year and Pablo was mistaken for a landscaper…..but Pablo took that opportunity to ask….Do you have any yobs?”
February 13th, 2016 at 6:07 pm
Oh, you go out and get Benjamin right now. Doubtful. Let FA play out, and play too. Take a shot.
Draft another too. Let the young guys fight it out. It’s the natural order.
Biff’s angry. He thinks a stellar ASJ changes the dynamic with the WR mix. Maybe the third year, along with an energized locker room will help.
ASJ needs to realize his clock is ticking because Koetter digs TE’s in the mix. Ask Cameron Brate.
February 13th, 2016 at 6:26 pm
Pablo….Been around the world, don’t speak the language…
But your booty don’t need explaining…
All I really need to understand is..
When you talk dirty to me..
February 13th, 2016 at 6:44 pm
“Pablo was at One Buc Place last year and Pablo was mistaken for a landscaper…..but Pablo took that opportunity to ask….Do you have any yobs?”
——————
That them thar is a good one!
February 13th, 2016 at 6:54 pm
We need to learn how to use our talent in our team. humpries in New england would be a stud because he have learned how to use there smaller receivers especially on quick routes do the same with this kid .. Even thought I think Boyd from Pitt will be a stud in the NFL and if have a chance to draft him in the second round he would be a steal and replace Jackson next year .
February 13th, 2016 at 7:05 pm
I know Kenny Bell was hurt this past season. But I’m sure if he does not perform this year, he will get his pink slip. Got tired of him romping the sidelines smiling collecting that free meal ticket. Yes, I’m cold..But its true. Time for the Bucs to cut a lot of that dead weight this year IF…They expect to win. Especially on Defense.
February 13th, 2016 at 7:54 pm
You guys are funny tonight.
February 13th, 2016 at 7:55 pm
I liked Hump from the beginning. I think he can be useful in the slot and he showed pretty decent shiftiness and reliability as a Punt Returner. I like him and think he should make our starting roster and I agree with Joe that he desrves #4/#5 status.
February 13th, 2016 at 10:30 pm
Rule #1 UDFA are not the answer. We need to surround Jameis with the best talent available. The fact that we may lose Doug Martin changes the whole offense. Most people feel because we have drafted almost entirely offense the last two years that we need to draft all defense this year. We are not done with the offense. I would not be surprised if we drafted more offensive players than people think. Jason Licht has a plan. If in fact Martin walks and we don’t have any top tier signings in FA, next year is going to be very difficult. Those of you that have not seen the schedule, the only non-conference game that looks like a win is against San Diego, I mean Los Angeles. That being said I under these circumstances I see us splitting Atlanta and New Orleans. Our record very easily can be 2-14 or 3-13. Lichts plan? With the first pick in 2017 NFL Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers pick Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford.
February 13th, 2016 at 11:31 pm
I liked it when GM’s did there job: signed players, kept the pay roll in tact, now they always out front wanting to have a hand in the everyday running of the team, coach’s and their assistants know the type players they need and want, GM’s seem to want the guy they can easily sign! IT’S ALL ON YOU THIS YEAR:BACK-STABBER!
February 13th, 2016 at 11:31 pm
I am sorry. I am not trying to start ish but if godzilla could tell me even Once where Tom Brady had “the best talent available”. Yes in some cases he did technically because the Pats could only afford a “washed up” Amendola and Eddleman………………………. Jameis doesn’t ” need ” the best talent. He will get the “best” out of what talent he has.
February 13th, 2016 at 11:36 pm
My bad for being biased.
February 13th, 2016 at 11:54 pm
“Jameis doesn’t ” need ” the best talent. He will get the “best” out of what talent he has.”
——-
That’s actually a really interesting point, and one I hadn’t thought of. I do think the one big difference (besides Jameis being far far away from even being able to be mentioned in the same sentence as Brady) is that Brady’s receivers were mostly veteran players who knew what they were doing. We had virtually all receivers in diapers last year, and it often showed.
February 14th, 2016 at 12:01 am
I agree that I may have been a bit overzealous with the mention of Brady but I meant what I said. Brady and Manning have made Many guys who couldn’t make it elsewhere ‘household names’. There are wrs that Have to by dynamic and there are wrs that the QB Make dynamic.
February 14th, 2016 at 12:17 am
*WRs
February 14th, 2016 at 12:53 am
Fifteen hour day today…did I miss anything????
February 14th, 2016 at 1:11 am
Guess not, lol. Must be too late for you young people.
February 14th, 2016 at 4:55 am
Jameis Winston is better than Tom Brady
February 14th, 2016 at 6:39 am
Why would we be looking to keep Humphries?
I don’t dislike the kid, but in all honesty, this year was a great opportunity for a WR to step up. It didn’t happen and Humphries is a part of that failure.
February 14th, 2016 at 7:52 am
As much as I would love the kid to be Julian Edelman or Wes Welker, he’s just not. Yet. Hopefully he can become that but thinking he is now is folly. I love his story, love the college, hope my kids go there, but he’s got to come a long way. He is smaller than Welker and doesn’t have the twitch that Edelman has. Twitch can be developed at 10 not so much at 22. On the plus, it took Edelman 4 years to become a thriving player for the pats. He’s got to make a huge leap this year after all of those first team snaps. I hope he does. Number 1 slot, I hope he can become it but he’s not yet.
February 14th, 2016 at 1:35 pm
Hump will be another Wes Welker with the help of coach Monken.
February 14th, 2016 at 3:43 pm
Bucs SB with Jameis Says:
February 13th, 2016 at 11:31 pm
I am sorry. I am not trying to start ish but if godzilla could tell me even Once where Tom Brady had “the best talent available”. Yes in some cases he did technically because the Pats could only afford a “washed up” Amendola and Eddleman………………………. Jameis doesn’t ” need ” the best talent. He will get the “best” out of what talent he has.
You need to watch more football.