“Hard Runner”
May 30th, 2017
Doug Martin changed direction on Thursday
Amidst the barrage of drug use and rehab questions hurled at Doug Martin on Thursday, Joe decided to interject with an important subject change.
That subject was, you know, football.
Joe asked Martin about his take on new rookie running back Jeremy McNichols, Tampa Bay’s fifth-round pick from Boise State. Martin and McNichols were communicating before the draft. Both went to the same college and had a real bond before McNichols was plucked by the Bucs.
While seemingly every dude with an important job at One Buc Palace points quickly to McNichols’ extreme ability as a pass catcher, Martin went right to McNichols’ running skills.
“We have a good relationship, same school. He has a similar running style [to mine], a hard runner,” Martin said of the rookie. “I’ve seen him run and seen his film and he’s an awesome player. He is going to work well for us.”
Joe found this very encouraging. Martin certainly knows what he’s watching on film, and the Bucs could use another “hard runner.” Charles Sims isn’t that guy, and Martin is a long shot to be a Buccaneer when his suspension ends in Week 4.
It’s great that McNichols is considered a stud receiver and pass blocker, but Joe will be fully dialed in to watching whether he can run between the tackles when training camp begins. McNichols’ running ability is one gargantuan X-factor for this team.
May 30th, 2017 at 11:11 am
Ride this Martin thing out to the bitter end Joe.
It’s your new Dalvin.
May 30th, 2017 at 11:13 am
^ lol
May 30th, 2017 at 11:34 am
For real…
May 30th, 2017 at 11:36 am
Again I wish I could remember which poster put up the McNichols link but it’s worth watching.
He doesn’t simply go out of bounds when he runs out of real estate…he lowers his head for a couple more yards. He looks like one of the backs who enjoys trying to punish the defenders.
May 30th, 2017 at 11:41 am
and Doug Martin was thinking to himself, “I WAS A FIRST ROUNDER, this other boise guy is lucky to be drafted”
May 30th, 2017 at 11:41 am
Oh, quit your crying Blake! Don’t you know that this is a form of therapy for rabid fans?! 🙂
I want to hear about the rook.
May 30th, 2017 at 11:42 am
You know the pattern Licht has shown where he plucks a veteran FA player, then drafts a player at that same position? And the veteran player is both player and mentor to the young buck? I believe Martin will be the veteran (albeit not a FA we plucked) and mentor McNichols for 1-2 years before we go on without Martin.
In other words, be prepared for Martin to be on the Bucs’ roster all year long, and productive. He just turned 28 in January, so I could see him being with us in his 28th and 29th years before being released at 30.
May 30th, 2017 at 11:52 am
Keep saying he’ll be a longshot to be on the roster after his suspension ends; I guess if you say it long enough it becomes a fact.
OK, now for the Aguayo article.
May 30th, 2017 at 11:58 am
“He has a similar running style [to mine]”.Telling.
May 30th, 2017 at 12:00 pm
Those were DM’s words. Ya see if they had went an drafted a bruiser or some gadget guy I might be inclined to dismiss Joe like many of you do. But to get a guy from the same school with a similar running style( again DM’s words not mine ) is to me quite telling.
May 30th, 2017 at 12:05 pm
Like C’mon man y’all can’t see this??? Its like they saying “we gone replace yo @$$ wit yo @$$”.. Cold blooded.
May 30th, 2017 at 12:09 pm
I mean I’m the resident dumb@$$ so I’ll ask can someone show me the logic in drafting something just like what you already have at of all positions Running Back.
May 30th, 2017 at 12:13 pm
@NoS- I wouldn’t call you the “resident dumb@$$”! You do have a way of making your point though!!!
I have to agree that it’s a bit strange to draft/sign a clone to what you already have. I have to assume that there’s a method to the “madness”!
May 30th, 2017 at 12:52 pm
NosBos, none of us (including Joe) has any idea what the Bucs will ultimately do with Martin. Lots of variables in the decision matrix at this point, most of which will disappear by Week 4. As far as McNichols goes, I don’t see him as a Martin clone at all. When Doug was first drafted, remember how he had trouble blocking and pass-catching? Me too. Yet those seem to be McNichols strengths coming out of college. Folks need to remember that he’s a 5th round pick, and stop pretending that he’s really a 1st rounder who fell because of a bum shoulder. Hopefully he works out and we’ve found a gem, but the odds of 5th rounders sticking past the first 2-3 yrs aren’t all that great.
May 30th, 2017 at 1:02 pm
I really want to create a collage of all the things joe has said about doug’s chances of being a buc this year including:
“he needs a small miracle”
“likely won’t be on the roster week 4”
“he is a long shot to be a buccaneer”
There are a lot and as you guys have said, nobody knows but I would put a lot of money on doug sticking this season. Not only that but having a great season.
May 30th, 2017 at 1:04 pm
Jeremy McNichols was a 5th round draft pick. He was drafted for value, it’s not like he was a 2nd round pick. The fact is that the Bucs passed on a lot of quality RBs in the draft. If they thought the RB position was a position of need, surely they would have drafted one before the 5th round. It’s obvious that they were satisfied with the RBs on their roster. And that include Doug Martin, they will have a committee during weeks 1-3, in week 4 Doug will be the workhorse. I don’t believe for a second that they waited until the 5th round to draft Doug replacement.
May 30th, 2017 at 1:44 pm
Let me ask you this tho Lakeland, when you factor all of DM’s career highs and lows. Is really more than a 5th rounder as of now this second???
May 30th, 2017 at 1:52 pm
Let me pose it another way, hypothetically let say before he(DM) was drafted we were able to look into the future and foresee his career just the way it has panned out since entering the league. Would he be valued in your mind any higher than a 5th rounder if so what round???
May 30th, 2017 at 1:55 pm
Nole, Doug Martin is still a Top RB in the NFL. That’s my opinion, but he need an O-Line that can actually block people.
May 30th, 2017 at 2:17 pm
Nole, I have always said that I wouldn’t draft a RB in the 1st round. I would do the opposite of the Bucs and spend 1st round picks on O-Linemen. I would have at least three 1st Round picks on the O-Line. I wouldn’t draft a RB, no earlier than the 4th round.
May 30th, 2017 at 2:32 pm
“Martin is a long shot to be a Buccaneer when his suspension ends in Week 4.”
I would wager that it is a long shot that Martin is NOT a Buccaneer in week “3”.
I guess it won’t matter when week 4 comes and Martin is not only on the team, but toting the rock like a beast. Apparently accuracy and logic aren’t important on this site.
May 30th, 2017 at 2:35 pm
Okay I see you now bro.
May 30th, 2017 at 2:39 pm
Only thang I’ll say is this Lakeland when you say he’s a top rusher in this league I think to myself “back in 2015” that was true. We all know it’s “what have you done for me lately”. So until I see otherwise, basing my opinion off what I last saw he JAG in my eyes.
May 30th, 2017 at 2:51 pm
Nole, you will see, because Doug Martin will be our starting RB this season.
May 30th, 2017 at 2:54 pm
Joe, look at you writing an article about/involving Doug that’s not negative.. you’re turning a corner, IM PROUD OF YOU!
May 30th, 2017 at 3:03 pm
any truth to this Joe?
https://sportstalk360.com/green-bay-consider-doug-martin-trade/
May 30th, 2017 at 3:13 pm
Gruden and Glazer going into Ring of Honor!
May 30th, 2017 at 3:51 pm
Thanks for the link big serious..
“the Packers have made contact with the Buccaneers to start discussions on a possible trade option and have gone as far as to say ‘Name your Price’.”
“name your price” for Doug Martin – eh?
OK -RT Bryan Bulaga and a 3rd round pick in next year’s draft. LOL
May 30th, 2017 at 4:03 pm
But some round here swear they got it all figured out.
May 30th, 2017 at 5:53 pm
Unless he’s traded, Martin NOT being a Buc on Week 4 is the long shot wager.
May 30th, 2017 at 9:19 pm
I think Jason makes the most sense.
Martin will be his mentor for a couple of years.