Lil'Jordan Humphrey doing everything he can to make Patriots' roster
BOSTON -- There are two more rounds of roster cuts ahead of the NFL regular season. With one more preseason game left for players to make their case, Lil'Jordan Humphrey is doing everything he can to make sure he's part of the New England Patriots' 53-man roster.
Humphrey didn't sign with the Patriots until June, and the 24-year-old receiver was seen as nothing more than a depth move for camp due to New England's crowded receiving corps. But over the last two months, he's made a strong push to stick around -- and not just as a receiver.
Make no mistake, Humphrey has been pretty solid as a receiver. He's snagged 11 passes for 132 yards over the first two preseason games, including a touchdown in the exhibition opener against the New York Giants. With rookie Tyquan Thornton expected to miss nearly two months of action, there could be a spot for Humphrey in the offense.
But one of the best ways for a bubble player to really pop is by making plays on specials teams. Humphrey has been doing that too, coming up with a huge player as a gunner against the Panthers last week. He made a brilliant heads-up play to save a punt from going into the end zone at the three-yard line against Carolina, earning him some serious praise from special teams ace Matthew Slater after the game and a spot on SportsCenter's Top 10 over the weekend.
That play was still on the minds of reporters when Humphrey held a media session Monday afternoon in Nevada. He knows just how important it is to make take advantage -- and make an impact -- whenever he sets foot on the field.
"It's really important just to show that I'm valuable," he said of his special teams play. "I'm a valuable player. I can do anything; it doesn't necessarily have to be receiver. I can make plays on special teams if that's what you need me to do."
But that isn't all he's willing to do for Bill Belichick and company. Humphrey is a big dude with a 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame, one that Belichick described as "tight end-ish" after last week's preseason game. New England's tight end depth chart is pretty thin after Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry, and Humphrey has been demonstrating his value even more by adding tight end to his resume.
"Whatever they want me to do, I just do it," he said. "I got some work [at tight end] during camp at it, just trying to get better at it and continue to grow.
"It's fun," he said of the potential new role. "Playing football is fun, so I love it."
Whatever he can do to increase his value to the team, Humphrey is willing to put in the work. In doing so, he's making a pretty strong case for a roster spot in New England ahead of the regular season.
