Ramon Humber came to the Buffalo Bills just before the end of the 2016 preseason thanks to ties to former head coach Rex Ryan. He was brought in for linebacker and special teams insurance. He did just that, appearing in all 16 games and logging 60 snaps on defense. That was enough for him to be kept around under the new McDermott-Beane regime.
Chris Brown, lead reporter at BuffaloBills.com, thinks Humber has a chance to be more than just a special teams contributor though. In a recent article Brown was asked which veteran impressed him the most this offseason. He listed Humber, saying “I never really thought of him as an option at linebacker, but his straight line speed is impressive. We’ll know a lot more when the pads go on, but he’s in the mix for one of the starting outside linebacker positions.”
While it may be tough for Humber to get a starting role, if he continues to impress then it is not hard to see him getting plenty of defensive snaps this season. After likely starters Preston Brown, Lorenzo Alexander, and Reggie Ragland there is Gerald Hodges, and not much else as far as established NFL talent. A surprise performer (like Alexander last season) would be extremely welcomed by the Bills — especially at linebacker, where they remain somewhat thin heading into training camp.