Overlooked
June 20th, 2017
Praised by teammate.
Of course, Bucs fans are beyond giddy with the chance to watch DeSean Jackson blow past opposing defenses and haul in passes from America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston.
And the fact running back Doug Martin looked quick in underwear football has Bucs fans dancing with memories of 2012 and 2015 in their heads. Rookie wide receiver Chris Godwin hauling in passes in traffic time and again also did nothing but whip Bucs fans into a frenzy for the regular season to begin.
It seems, however, tight end Cam Brate believes folks are overlooking another weapon. And that would be receiver Adam (Rudy!) Humphries.
Speaking last week on “Movin’ the Chains,” heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio, co-hosted by Pat Kirwan and Jim Miller, Brate was asked about who the offensive stars were for the Bucs and Brate singled out Rudy.
“It is not just me on offense,” Brate said. “Adam Humphries had a really good [mini]camp as well. Jameis has done a great job leading the ship. The offense, with the new guys we got, they bring a whole lot to the table. So, we are at the next step with our offense.”
Now Joe has seen comments on this here site mocking Joe for not acknowledging Rudy having as good of an underwear football season as Godwin did. There’s a big difference there.
Godwin is a rookie. He doesn’t even know the offense yet. Rudy is a seasoned veteran. He’s been in winning Bucs coach Dirk Koetter’s offense a full two years.
Any receiver in any coach’s offense for two years, Joe would hope the guy would have as good of an underwear football season as a rookie. That’s not any sort of knock at Rudy, who is a good dude, just high praise for Godwin.
Hearing Brate talk about how the offense has advanced, well, it gets Joe so excited he wants to unleash a beer or two.
June 20th, 2017 at 2:34 pm
Most overlooked player on the team?
Darel Walker.
But that will change during the season.
June 20th, 2017 at 2:35 pm
And, Joe, why are you so convinced they will keep only 5 WRs this year? They’ve been keeping 6 for years, and they have needed every one of them!
Certainly not 6 every year. But Joe has written (to the anti-Boldin crowd, that keeping 6 receivers is a legit option.)–Joe
June 20th, 2017 at 2:35 pm
Unleash those Budweisers Joe! It’s 5 O’clock somewhere!
Hump is going to get his touches. And, if the offense is firing on all cylinders, watch out!!!
June 20th, 2017 at 2:36 pm
i’ll see 7/28….GO BUCS!!!!
June 20th, 2017 at 2:37 pm
Here’s what I think…
…I think Evans, Jackson and Humphries will explode this year.
I think Goodwin and Walker will run neck-and-neck stat-wise.
And I think the 6th spot will be developmental…probably Freddy.
June 20th, 2017 at 2:38 pm
I don’t understand the Front Office. Last season Hump and Brate had solid seasons, and they both are growing in the NFL. Out of all the needs we have on this offense, they go out and spend high draft picks or sign these two players replacements. These two were the only bright spots on this offense last season. No intelligent person would neglect our O-Line needs. We added “weapons for Jameis”, but, are they the right weapons?
June 20th, 2017 at 2:49 pm
Lakelandbuc are you serious? You have to be bull spitting right? Replacements? The bucs needed more receivers ie godwin or where you happy with huff? You have problem with two dynamic tight ends? The patriots have used this formula for years and the bucs have been trying to do this for years. Were you asleep for the asj experiment? What if brate gets hurt? Were you asleep for the last two games of the season without brate? Some of you fans really need to think before you type.
June 20th, 2017 at 2:52 pm
They aren’t replacing Hump or Brate…
We added a speed WR and a legit outside WR and a Y (blocking/receiving) TE.
Hump is a slot WR and Brate is an F (move) TE.
Everything we added simply complimented the skill players we already had.
ME/Djax/Hump/Godwin all have unique skill sets from one another. The closest 2 are probably Godwin and Mike Evans in terms of their play style.
Brate is not a great blocking TE. When he’s on the field he’s typically running a route. Howard is a bigger faster version that can block at a high level. Their games compliment each-other similar to Gronk/the murderer back in the day.
O-line was the weakest position in the draft and bad value. Howard was the best value by far in the 1st round. Not sure why you’d complain given all this information… but then again there are lots around here complaining about this team using ignorance as the basis for their opinion
June 20th, 2017 at 2:53 pm
@Lakeland…good point…I really wanted an oline in the mid rounds….we’ll see…that’s why licht gets paid the big bucks lol…GO BUCS!!!!
June 20th, 2017 at 3:12 pm
I have to wonder what game people are watching on Sundays. We REALLY needed receiver help and got it in a big way. I thought we needed OL help too but WR was a much bigger need.
June 20th, 2017 at 3:17 pm
We will likely …only keep 2 QBs this year…….that extra roster spot may go to LB. I suspect we will go with 6 WRs with the 6th spot going to a WR/KR.
The position to watch is RB…..will we only go with 4?……Depends on what we do with Martin.
Martin, Rodgers, Sims, McNichols, Barber?
June 20th, 2017 at 3:20 pm
We did help the O line with the “addition” of formerly injured Super Bowl Winning JR Sweezy.
June 20th, 2017 at 3:23 pm
Bobo?
June 20th, 2017 at 3:25 pm
Our O-line will surprise a lot of people this year. They are going to be at least solid and working toward outstanding. Benenoch will take a big step forward this year. As proof just look at the difference between his first game and his second game…he was a totally a different player. Additionally, I believe they found a diamond in the rough in Cole Gardner, but he will take some time develop. Donovan Smith is still learning, but came to camp in the best shape of his life. However, some of you know more than all the coaches and scouting staff because you look at PFF stats. I think we should wait until at least this first game before you claim this years draft and our O-line suck.
June 20th, 2017 at 3:37 pm
Every great NFL team has several overachievers on their team. Look at NE year in and year out! They don’t look or act the part but contribute just the same.
June 20th, 2017 at 3:42 pm
Brate and Hump stepped up when the team really needed them to. So cheers to you guys who might not flash but make plays when your number is called.
June 20th, 2017 at 4:06 pm
I’m not overlooking Humphries.
He’s the Bucs Wes Welker, money on short yardage & 3rd down when the superstars clear the middle of the field.
June 20th, 2017 at 4:44 pm
Agree with Cobra. Humphries seems underrated by many. He is as reliable as anyone on the team.
June 20th, 2017 at 5:31 pm
I think lake land is the new dallass. If not they must be twins separated at birth. Why so negative,dude?
June 20th, 2017 at 5:33 pm
Oh and as always….GO BUCS!!!
June 20th, 2017 at 5:54 pm
Rudy is the man and everyone knows that by now….thats why nobody is talking about him or Evans very much….we know what they bring. Its the new box of toys that is the hot topic. You cannot have enough good receivers and I would love to have Boldin signed to this team, the dude is still a beast even at his age. I really wanted the Bucs to sign Sanu last season but he went to the enemy.
June 20th, 2017 at 5:56 pm
Koetter is going to unleash hell with his playcalling this season and that means a lot of WR’s running around the field at once.
June 20th, 2017 at 6:11 pm
K2 Agree completely with your take on our OL. I think they are the sleepers on this team.
As for Hump…ya gotta think of the old Wesley Snipes/Woody Harrelson movie…’White Men Can’t Jump.”
Hump does not look like an NFL WR…he’s too small…too slow..and he’s WHITE!!!
Let’s be honest. We all have trouble buying Edelman and the tiny NE WR’s because they are tiny WHITE guys.
Yeah it might not be right but it is what it is.
June 20th, 2017 at 6:25 pm
It’s just annoying when the negative nancies of JBF are objectively proven to be completely wrong via facts / stats / etc and NEVER acknowledge it.
Lakeland obviously doesn’t know wtf he’s talking about if he thinks we’ve “replaced” Humphries and Brate. Will he admit that was a dumb point after a long objective explanation? Nope.
Someone here was saying Ron Rivera was in the playoffs every year while we suck a5ss eveyr year. Ron Rivera has 2 winning seasons in 6 years or 1 every 3. Koetter’s 9 wins last year are better than Ron’s career average. Did that person acknowledge this when it was brought to their attention? No they just moved on to a new negative point.
Tmax has continually said VHIII was hidden by Mike Smith; despite him being the most targetted CB in the NFL. Will he ever acknowledge how there is absolutely no logic to the sh1t he said? Nope but he will bring up ice cream trucks.
That’s just the last few days alone.
June 20th, 2017 at 6:32 pm
The thing about boldin that everyone overlooks is he’s a red zone beast. We are not talking about the guy being used down the field. He would be a rested red zone target . He has always been a double digit TD machine
June 20th, 2017 at 6:35 pm
Well maybe not double digits. But solid when used there
June 20th, 2017 at 7:05 pm
@ stpete
I can buy any player that is productive regardless of COLOR!!!
@ dougyballs
We have about 4 redzone beast now.
June 20th, 2017 at 7:31 pm
Hump is the Bucs Wes Welker, just like Cobraboy said. A real blue collar guy that can always be relied on to make the tough catches.
I understand how some posters feel about our first round draft choice. But when a player like this falls to us, you have to take him.
June 20th, 2017 at 8:10 pm
Good Lord. And by that I mean good post Lord C.
June 20th, 2017 at 8:21 pm
Bonzai… no chance Walker makes the team. NONE. Paris Warren will put up the exact same numbers in the NFL as Walker. Zeroes across the board.
June 20th, 2017 at 9:26 pm
Lord is king!!!
June 20th, 2017 at 10:17 pm
I don’t understand why everyone is picking on Lakeland. He DID say he didn’t understand…
…and what he said might have been absent of a few insights, but it wasn’t so bad that he should be crucif or called a hater. Which, ironically, is exactly what you
accusers were doing to him.
Personally, I think we could ha e gone without drafting either OJ or Goodwin and still gotten players to make the team better. Humphries has the potential to become a Wes Welker-type.
But that doesn’t mean Licht picked wrong, just that he picked a different path to the same destination (superbowl).
June 20th, 2017 at 10:21 pm
Brandon Says
“Bonzai… no chance Walker makes the team. NONE.”
You need to wake up. They like him enough to give him guaranteed mo ey to be there. He WILL make the team. He already has. Right now, he’s more proven than Goodwin.
June 20th, 2017 at 10:38 pm
I don’t see how the Bucs can keep 6 WR’s and 2 PK’s.
June 20th, 2017 at 11:16 pm
I didn’t realize hump was white…. Holy crap
Come on people bring his color up.
Either u can play or u can’t man
June 21st, 2017 at 12:15 am
He’s a very, very good #4 receiver and I’m glad we have him!
June 21st, 2017 at 7:27 am
Hard to agree that Brate and Humphries were the only bright spots on offense.
You totally ignored the play of Evans and Jameis. I would add Kevin Pamphile
to a category that I will call Surprises along with Brate and Hump.
No Question that Licht has made this a far better team than 2-14 debacle of
Lovie’s first year.
June 21st, 2017 at 11:09 am
@Brett: even Koetter said only one PK.
June 21st, 2017 at 11:27 am
NFL defenses will have to account for an array of Bucs’ weapons, including Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson, O.J. Howard, Cameron Brate, and Chris Godwin. Consequently, it may turn out Adam Humphries will do the most damage to opposing teams and have a breakout year, because other teams will be forced into giving him mismatches against slower linebackers.
Consider an 02 personnel grouping that includes Evans and Jackson filling the X and Z roles threatening deep and , Howard at the Y and Brate as a second TE threatening the seams. The defense’s two corners must match up with Evans and Jackson, a safety or Nickel corner has to match up with Howard because of his speed, while an OLB should take Brate while the other safety plays a cover one to prevent a homerun. Now Humphries winds up match against a much slower OLB on one of his patented screens or a crossing route and voila it’s off to the races.
June 22nd, 2017 at 6:39 pm
That’s it in a nutshell Rick. And, you can insert Godwin, or McNichols instead of Hump. I like the weapons we have just fine. Those three, fresh throughout, late in the game, could do real damage to tired legs.