You might excuse WR Adam Humphries if he had a bit of a chip on his shoulder. There actually is no chip on his shoulder, which is one of the reasons you hate to lose a player like him. All this speedy receiver with guts of steel has done since joining the Buccaneers as a free agent out of Clemson in 2015 is kick the tires and light the fires. Now, at 25 years old, the “Spartanburg Sparkplug” finds himself a free agent and for the first time in his life will make the decision as to where to continue his football career.
There were those at Clemson who initially thought the 5’11, 176lb WR/S from Dorman High in Spartanburg, South Carolina was a tag-a-long signee to bring in the real Dorman High prize, Charone Peake. Truth is, when Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney took a visit to Dorman High to visit eventual signee Peake during basketball season, he couldn’t help but notice the 5’11 point guard who was running the show. Coach Swinney asked Dorman football coach Dave Gutshall who that kid was. Gutshall responded that Humph was the best player on the football team. Humphries played corner, receiver, running back and quarterback.
Since arriving in Tampa Bay there are a few milestones this undrafted superstar has achieved. Humphries holds the all-time record for receptions for a Buccaneer free agent. There were thirty-five (35) receivers drafted in 2015 before the undrafted free agent found his way to Tampa Bay. Humph has caught more passes than all but three (3) of those receivers and has more receptions than any free agent receiver out of the 2015 class. Adam has shown an ability to go across the middle, tear up the slot, and even return kicks. His speed should come as no surprise at this point, yet he continues to embarrass linebackers that try to account for him out of the chute. His skills are the kind that many teams will covet as free agency starts in just over two weeks.
Speaking with the Spartanburg Herald Journal Humphries expressed his excitement at the thought of shopping around for a new team.
“Coming out of high school I was just fortunate to have Clemson offer me. I was barely a three-star recruit,” Humphries said. “I’ve never had the opportunity to choose where I wanted to go or be someone a team is trying to obtain. It is a new feeling for me and it’s pretty awesome, kind of great reward for all the hard work I’ve put in.”
Humphries posted career highs in 2019 with 76 receptions for 816 yards and 5 touchdowns. Humphries made a bet on himself this past season, playing under the one-year tender. There is absolutely no question that every Buccaneer fan wishes two things for this wunderkind, the first being that he receives every penny he deserves for the hard work and dedication he has put into his craft, the second being that the paycheck he receives be written on Buccaneer check stationary. There is absolutely no chip on this young man’s shoulder, but thankfully those shoulders are strong. They will need to be to carry the large bags of money he is about to receive.
