The Tennessee Titans needed to help quarterback Marcus Mariota this offseason. By acquiring receiver Adam Humphries from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they have done precisely that.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network broke the news with Mike Garafolo on Monday afternoon:
The #Titans are signing former #Bucs WR Adam Humphries, per @MikeGarafolo and me. Another top slot threat off the market. One of the NFL’s most efficient on third down.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 11, 2019
The NFL community knew that the Titans had to do whatever they could to make life easier for Mariota, their oft-injured quarterback who is trying to establish himself as a top-tier professional field general. Has Mariota been limited more by injuries, by his own flaws, or by the unremarkable skill level of his pass catchers? The answer could be any of the three in isolation, or all of the above. The Titans hope that the 2019 season will offer a clear and resounding verdict — ideally a positive one, but at least an outcome which enables them to prepare accordingly for the 2020 season and beyond.
Giving Mariota all the assistance he can get is part of the project to gain clarity in 2019 and chart the long-term course of the franchise.
Adam Humphries made substantial improvements in 2018 as a Buccaneer. He attained new career-high marks in targets (105), catches (76), yards (816), and touchdowns (5). As Pelissero noted, Humphries gave Tampa Bay a reliable third-down option from the slot. This acquisition meets a significant need and brings a player whose career trajectory is steadily rising.
Is Humphries — who will turn 26 years old before the 2019 season — a durable player? Yes. The receiver has missed just one game over the past three seasons.
The Titans clearly hope that while this signing does not rate as a spectacular development, it will identify one piece of a larger puzzle as Tennessee tries to overtake the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans in the AFC South.
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