How the Buffalo Bills can transform the receiving corps in 2019
Sign Adam Humphries
While not the big-name free agent wide receiver you may expect, Adam Humphries may be exactly what the doctor ordered for this offense.
Buffalo does not possess a true slot receiver. Zay Jones has bounced between the slot and outside throughout his two-year career and Isaiah McKenzie played a slot role last season, but he may be better suited as a gadget player for the offense.
Humphries is a true slot receiver and a pretty darn good one at that. In 2018, Humphries recorded 76 receptions, 816 yards, five touchdowns, and an average of 10.7 yards/catch with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. For comparison, Jones led the team with 56 receptions, 652 yards, and seven touchdowns this past season.
While not a huge difference, Humphries was Tampa’s third receiver behind Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson, even splitting his time with Chris Godwin and tight ends Cameron Brate and O.J. Howard.
All-in-all, Humphries is good at his job. In the type of offensive system that offensive coordinator Brian Daboll runs, slot receivers are very important. Daboll runs the Erhardt-Perkins system, the same as the New England Patriots. With the Patriots, they like to get the ball out quickly and slot receivers are typically their number ones (see Edelman, Julian). Humphries can easily slide into that starting slot role for Buffalo and thrive.
The only issue with Humphries is the cost. In a weak receiving free agent class, Humphries could be asking for north of $10 million and that is a lot of money for a slot receiver. However, Humphries is just 25 years old and has put up production in years past.
Humphries is a graduate of Clemson and while he may look small, he stands at 5-foot-11 and is 195 pounds. In his four years at Clemson he played at least 12 games each year. After signing in Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent in 2015, Humphries has recorded career highs in receptions and yards in every season of his career.
With the amount of cap space and the glaring need for Buffalo, I wouldn’t hesitate in locking up Humphries to be the slot receiver of the present and future for the Bills.