Adam Humphries explains how Patriots' free-agent offer had his ‘mind spinning'

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Adam Humphries could have joined the New England Patriots, but he ultimately chose to go in a different direction in NFL free agency.

The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wideout was among the best slot receivers on the free-agent market. The Tennessee Titans made a strong offer that Humphries was comfortable with, but he got a call from the Patriots in the later stages of his decision-making process. 

The opportunity to play for a perennial Super Bowl contender and catch passes from a legendary quarterback in Tom Brady is an ideal scenario for any wide receiver. Humphries, however, remained firm on his commitment to the Titans. He explained the craziness of the situation to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport during a recent episode of the Rapsheet + Friends podcast.

“I had kind of made my mind up on Tennessee," Humphries said. "The number was good. That was exciting. And then the defending world champs come calling and come with a really strong offer. That kind of had my mind spinning. I knew obviously they are great at (utilizing) my skill set and guys similar to the way I play. They have done a great job with that.”

Humphries later added: "... I felt like everyone expected me to go (to the Patriots), and I kind of wanted to create my own way and help the Tennessee Titans become a really powerful team. I was sticking to my guns, my initial decision, and I’m happy I did that. Like I said the whole time, it was stressful, it was tough, a lot of great offers on the table. It’s hard to come down and make that final decision. Either way, it would have been awesome, and I’m just excited to play at the highest level.”

Humphries should be among quarterback Marcus Mariota's top targets in the Titans passing game. He's also making $9 million per season on a four-year contract.

From an individual perspective, the choice to sign with Tennessee could prove to be the right one. If Humphries is hoping to win a bunch of playoff games with the Titans, he's probably going to be disappointed. 

As for the Patriots, they still haven't made a marquee wide receiver addition in free agency. With few quality players at the position left on the market, the most likely place for the Patriots to add more wide receiver depth probably is the 2019 NFL Draft.

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