Keeping Doug Martin
February 26th, 2015
The cutting season has begun. Just yesterday, several name potential free agents were tossed aside by teams whittling payrolls in order to keep star players.
Reggie Bush and A.J. Hawk were given pink slips by the Lions and Packers, respectively.
The Bucs figure to cut some people, too. If you have left tackle Anthony Collins in your cut pool, you are sitting pretty. And it would surprise Joe if Hawk Goldson is back with the Bucs, unless he reworks his contract.
(Joe would be shocked if the Bucs cut or traded Vincent Jackson. Yes, his $9,777,777 salary, per Rotoworld.com, is bloated. But Jackson is still a strong receiver and with Jameis Winston coming in, the rookie quarterback needs solid targets.)
Running back Doug Martin could be cut or traded, but Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com believes neither would be a smart move.
Because it would be a mistake. I’m not sure Martin ever gets back to being the 1,400-yard runner he was as a rookie in 2012. That sure didn’t seem likely last year when Martin gained only 494 yards and averaged 3.7 yards per carry. But some of that had to do with injuries and some of it had to do with poor blocking by the offensive line.
There’s no question Sims is a talent. He might be the feature back next season. But the Bucs still need Martin. In the current NFL, you need two quality running backs. Sims isn’t the kind of back who can handle 25 carries a game.
Joe thought Martin being too eager to duck his head, not follow blocks (they were there at times) and too quick to hit the ground were signs Martin was finished.
Martin improved later in the season and just after the final game told Joe that he was hurt early in the year. At the time, his pride prevented him from using any excuses for a lack of production.
Running backs take a beating. That’s part of why they have such a short shelf life. Joe isn’t as sold as Yasinskas on Charles Sims, but the guy was battling an injury and maybe he tried to come back too soon and was pressing.
With Martin, Sims, Bobby Rainey and Mike James, that’s a fairly deep stable of running backs. No need to foul that up.
February 26th, 2015 at 6:32 am
Want to seriously throw some mojo in this offense? After drafting Winston, go after Gurley! He just might be there in the bottom of the 1st or early 2nd.
February 26th, 2015 at 6:49 am
Madmax got it
February 26th, 2015 at 6:52 am
After drafting Winston, I would rather the bucs make a play for Hendricks MLB. He would be an amazing middle line backer in Lovie’s system. trade back if at all possible. Let’s give Lovie a little something after drafting all offense last year and getting a QB this year.
February 26th, 2015 at 7:15 am
If D.Martin has any trade value – trade him!
Every freakin year there are RB´s coming out with same talent level or better, who can be had in the 3rd round or lower..
Martin in the 1st round – that was such a Bucs thing to do…
February 26th, 2015 at 7:17 am
After picking QB #1 overall, the Bucs should pick OT, DE or MLB, whichever player is highest on their board. There’s actually no need for additional skill position players at this point, especially that high in the draft and all the other needs we do have.
February 26th, 2015 at 7:19 am
by the way:
its getting time, the Bucs get themselves a power back, a Carlos Hyde type or melvin gordon..
February 26th, 2015 at 7:33 am
@Pcola, no offense but Kendricks isnt good in coverage….tackling machine in the run or short yardage yes. Bernardrick McKinney at 6’5 is the perfect MLB…he’s been called the poor mans Urlacher. Im good with grabbing him too if we can at that spot.
But if our O line can significantly be improved through FA, just think about the run/pass attack havoc we could create with Winston/Gurley.
February 26th, 2015 at 7:35 am
@T in Orlando hit it on the head. Fill our biggest needs first.
QB #1 pick, tackle-guard-MLB #2 & #3 picks, then we can fill other holes with best players available.
February 26th, 2015 at 7:43 am
MadMax
The highlights I saw of Hendrix showed him fantastic at getting back and defending the pass. In fact I was more impressed with him defending the pass than excelling in the run. Hmmmmm…confused here.
February 26th, 2015 at 8:10 am
If they can pick up a lineman or two in free agency and Gurley falls into their lap I hope they at least consider it. This guy has AP type potential. While RB is not our biggest need, he might be a special player and a steal in the 2nd round. If he is as good as many people think could you imagine the nightmare our offense could create in a year or two, or maybe even sometime next year. Evans, Vjax, ASJ, Gurley, and Winston. Shore up that offensive line and opposing teams could be terrified of the Bucs offense. As hard as that is to believe as Bucs fans it could be a reality.
February 26th, 2015 at 8:11 am
It isn’t like Doug Martin has a hugely bloated contract. Unless they need the roster spot, or get a can’t turn down trade, jettisoning him would be a mistake. He is still better than at least half the players on the team, and has the potential to be top 5 again.
February 26th, 2015 at 8:17 am
Joe,
Have you heard anything about Michael Johnson being traded or released in the coming weeks?
February 26th, 2015 at 8:18 am
Keep him…rookie contract #1….the guy is awesome once thru the OL which of course was impossible the past 2 years for any running back
February 26th, 2015 at 8:20 am
Do the BUCS qualify for a Compensatory Draft picks for 2016. If we keep Doug Martin on the roster for 2015?
February 26th, 2015 at 8:36 am
Why not trade Martin and Glennon for draft picks, which we could in turn trade back into the first or the second round. With Bush and possibly Peterson available we could improve our OL and look like a real offense.
February 26th, 2015 at 8:48 am
‘theres no question he has talent. He might be the feature back next season’. i cant stand how hes just been given the spot. am i the only one that watches the games? rainey was our best rb by far as far as actually running the ball goes. martin at least proved he can be a 1000 yard back. james has proven he is solid depth and excellent short yardage back i think. sims to me is the fourth best rb on team right now.
February 26th, 2015 at 8:50 am
At this point, I could take him or leave him. He hasn’t had enough good games to warrant his popularity. Dude needs an O-line to run. That makes him not special. Every other RB needs an O-line to run too. What makes him so great? Two years in a row, Rainey has ran better with the same O-line Doug had. The attitude towards Martin should be the same as his production: Meh
February 26th, 2015 at 8:51 am
My guess ArmyBuc is they realize Reggie Bush isn’t durable (worsening with age) and AP is still special but has a lot of wear (big gamble at his salary). Not sure why so many JBF’ers want to trade Martin and Glennon? The Bucs have no salary cap issues that I am aware of, and both those guys aren’t that far removed from rookie seasons that (IIRC) set a few rookie records (good ones). Both guys have a lot of tread left on the tires, and I am convinced at their respective salaries it would be foolish to get rid of either of them. My take anyway, I’m sure the professional know it all bloggers will chime in soon on how both guys suck and we need to trade them for 6th round picks 🙂
February 26th, 2015 at 8:55 am
trading him would be a mistake. He’s a solid back, and would probably blow up with a different team and Oline. considering the brick wall in front of him last year, I could see how he would get into the habit of puttig his head down and slamming into is. he’s not bassy sanders, he’s a small hit the hole guy, and when there is no hole he hit’s the back of the OL.
February 26th, 2015 at 8:55 am
i don’t even think a hall of famer couldve ran well last year with the trifecta of play calling, qb play, and oline STRUGGLES. fix the online and new qb the run game would be fine
February 26th, 2015 at 9:02 am
damn, am I drunk @ 8 am?
February 26th, 2015 at 9:42 am
Martin isn’t finished but with the RB core we have it wouldn’t be a catastrophic lost. Shopping him around could only be advantageous for us.
After Winston we need to draft O-linemen, our line is our most notable weakness. Football is won in the trenches, if you can give your QB time and your RB lanes to run then the offense will be productive.
February 26th, 2015 at 9:57 am
Could always trade even up for AP.
February 26th, 2015 at 10:27 am
the bucs are sitting okay at LB. they have 4 guys who have each shown flashes (each has had a 100 yard game besides Sims who supposedly has big upside), and all 4 are on rookie or minimum type deals. that’s better potential production per cap dollar than probably any other spot on the roster
February 26th, 2015 at 10:27 am
*correction: sitting okay at RB
February 26th, 2015 at 10:40 am
If Martin goes to a team with a good oline like the Browns or the Patriots and gets 300 carries he’ll get 1400yards and once again Bucs fans will be shaking their collective heads at the front office. He was clearly injured last year and running behind the worst line in the league. Only way we trade him is if we get a 3rd or better and that ain’t happening.
I’m really liking our 2WR,1TE,2RB package with Sims and Martin as the rbs. We can move Sims all around the LS and get him matched up against LBs and safeties and utility his hands or just hand it off to Dougernaut if the box #s are favorable.
Rainey does have the most shake n bake of all our RBs no doubt. Mike James is highly underrated and is a solid all around back. Man, I feel like if we can get a decent line we can wear any team down with our stable of backs….
We’ll get it..Just have faith..
February 26th, 2015 at 10:43 am
@pick6
*correction: sitting average to below average at RB
February 26th, 2015 at 10:59 am
We need to fill all the holes we desperately need filled before we create new ones.
@dave No ur not the only one watching and u described our RB stable exactly as i would. Bobby 1. Sims 4. I really wish we could get a chance to see more Mike James
February 26th, 2015 at 11:32 am
Lets just get Winston than an O-Lineman or a MLB. That should be it. Why go RB, when we have so many good RB’s. No one to block for them. That would be the stupidest move to go RB in the 2nd round. L&L would get booed and shot at in the war room. D. Martin is good still. No RB looked good last year in a Bucs uniform. Had to be the line. QB’s took so many sacks. Had to be the line. Our offense was 29th in yards………Get us some OL!!! Sign Lupati, and draft a few guys. Go Bucs!!
February 26th, 2015 at 11:47 am
No reason to get rid of Doug Martin unless we can get a good draft pick in trade which is very unlikely. Fix the Oline and let him play out the last year of his contract – then make a decision on Martin as to whether to re-sign him or not.
February 26th, 2015 at 12:22 pm
2 words – Jay Ajayi – RB Boise St.
http://youtu.be/zToThhTrwrM
February 26th, 2015 at 1:31 pm
Keep Doug Martin. #AndTheyThinkTheyKnowFootball #TheCreepyCrab be saying, Dat beeth drunk yet?
February 26th, 2015 at 6:41 pm
Why is everybody always in a hurry to trade our goog players away for draft picks. Get a grip folks. If anyone wanted to give a No. 2 for Martin it means you have a good back. Geeeeesh.
Martin’s salary is very cap friendly and he warrants no reason to be traded.
February 26th, 2015 at 8:48 pm
So Reggie bush is on the market or no? 1 year contract, make a few splash plays, sell some JERSEYS!!