Winning The Offseason
June 21st, 2015
Offseason winner?
Joe thought Doug Martin’s offseason was nearly as bad as his last two seasons.
Dinged up with injuries, Martin hasn’t rushed for 1,000 yards combined the past two years.
In fact, Martin has been a shell of his rookie self after it sure looked like he may be the second coming of Ray Rice (the football player), as he busted out for Pro Bowl honors his first year with the Bucs.
In the offseason, predictably, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht elected not to exercise the fifth-year option in Martin’s contract, effectively making him a free agent after this season.
But Luke Easterling of Bleacher Report claims Martin was one of the Bucs’ winners in the offseason.
Heading into this offseason, many again expected Martin to be a prime trade candidate. But new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter didn’t want the former first-rounder going anywhere.
If Martin can stay healthy, he clearly has the confidence of his new offensive coordinator and could have an improved offensive line in front of him with the addition of two second-round picks, Donovan Smith and Ali Marpet.
That’s the critical question: Can Martin stay healthy? When healthy, he is dangerous. Joe has no issue with Licht not picking up the fifth-year option. There was just no way he or the Bucs could justify doing that with Martin getting so little production.
This is just another example of how a first-round selection of a running back is just a bad investment. They have such a short shelf life, and so many good running backs can be found on the second- and third-day of the draft, if not off the street.
Teams would be much wiser to draft an offensive lineman or a wide receiver in the first round.
June 21st, 2015 at 10:48 am
Not only did Mark Dominik waste a first round pick on Martin… He wasted another pick moving up to get him…
Just another piece of poop left from Mark Dominik’s giant crap he took on the Bucs franchise…
Worst GM in Bucs franchise history and definitely on the short list of worst GM in NFL history…
June 21st, 2015 at 11:00 am
Mike Evans baby…..we will be loving that pick for years to come!!!
June 21st, 2015 at 11:04 am
Sure you all felt it was a horrible pick after his rookie year. 2000 all purpose yards. Remember when we had an offensive line? Go ahead bash Martin but everyone keep mind of who dogs Martin and check back after week 8 and guys like Mac will be singing the praises. Must be fun to just flip flop all the time and never stick to a firm stance.
June 21st, 2015 at 11:25 am
Here’s my question, if Martin has a break out year and LVD does too whom do we franchise? We will lose one or the other to FA. I vote to keep LVD but I’m not sure he’s excited to stay with Tampa.
June 21st, 2015 at 12:01 pm
@ws99
Neither… LVD needs a new long term deal… We are total idiots if we don’t get it done…
Doug Martin will not be here next year…
June 21st, 2015 at 12:04 pm
@WS99
Its a trick question, depends on the GM. If it was Dominik, you would franchise the punter! Let LVD go and say that it is the deepest draft ever for linebackers, resign martin then hire a OC that has a scheme that martin will not fit in!!!
June 21st, 2015 at 12:38 pm
Mac
From what I understand LVD is pricing himself out of Tampa. Apparently his camp is asking for money than the position pays. Obviously I don’t have all the details but from the sound of it LVD will not be here next year.
June 21st, 2015 at 12:46 pm
I’m glad Joe put the football player in parentheses after the Ray Rice comparison. I can just imagine what the comments would have looked like if he didn’t.
P.S. Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there.
June 21st, 2015 at 12:48 pm
@WS99. That is how it usually starts but we will get that deal done. We have the money to pay him as an elite LB. In the end it will get done.
June 21st, 2015 at 1:14 pm
Idk bro call me skeptical. I’m sure he’s looked at Wright’s super sized SB ring and said hmmm who gives me the best chance to get one of those.
June 21st, 2015 at 1:44 pm
IIRC, a team can ‘franchise’ a player two years in a row. Six years is a long time in an NFL players’ career (four years under contract and two as franchise). LVD (and his agent) know this and that LVD will be looking at the back half of his career when he finally gets free.
I believe, as cmurda says, that the ‘deal’ will get done. Let us see if LVD is ‘let loose’ this year, AND where the team ends the season.
Often, there is big talk when negotiations first begin. Remember, the Bucs have Licht. David’s agent just needs to make Licht believe that David is a questionable free agent, and Licht will throw the bank at him. :^)
June 21st, 2015 at 2:29 pm
@WS99. Let’s just say I’m more hopeful than positive but I think the Bucs will do whatever it takes to keep him. He won’t be playing elsewhere unless the Bucs get a sweet deal on a trade because he would be franchise tagged. Martin could be lost though if he has a big year and commands a payday because he might decide to bolt even if the Bucs bring some money into. Wins and hope solve everything. If the Bucs show promise and both of these guys step up, I still think we will be able to keep them both.
June 21st, 2015 at 2:42 pm
Hope so bro but you’re right 6 years a long time. We’ll see what happens.
June 21st, 2015 at 3:25 pm
Both LVD and the muscle hamster to a lesser degree are Buc fan favorites. David wants how much money to sign an extension? Does anybody know or is it just speculation given his level of play? Martin is another story altogether, injury and poor line blocking have to figure in on his diminished returns after that fantastic first year. This might be Doug’s make or break year, but maybe not, he may have a better year not all world but adequate. People say RB’s are easily found, that remains to be seen even with the Bucs apparent depth. The Steelers seem to plug one in that is good for multiple years, then get another good one to do the same. I trust the Bucs will improve and David will be happy playing for them.
June 21st, 2015 at 5:21 pm
I’d pay Lavonte 10 mil a year, easy.
June 21st, 2015 at 5:26 pm
I think 10m might just be the number. I’ve spent the last hour looking for the article I read about the 2 camps being “far apart” but can’t find it for nothing.
June 21st, 2015 at 6:29 pm
the problem with the bucs running game last year was not the fault of our running backs. as the jb’s have pointed out numerous times , our 0-line flat out sucked. that is why I scratch my head every time they criticize our running backs lack of production ( both on this site and on the radio ) and seem willing to revamp our game with new rb’s.they point to doug martin’s injury-plagued season of 2013 and combine that with his overall performance last year and conclude that it was martin’s lack of production that was paramount. I would be willing to bet that if we had had even an average o-line , martin would have had far better numbers as would the rest of our rb’s. I defy anyone to name a rb (past or present ) who could have produced behind that line. once we fix the problems up front , the running game will take care of itself. you can’t have your cake and eat it too. if you admit that our 0-line was that bad , then logic would dictate that our lack of a running game was first and foremost their fault and not the rb’s. a house is only as strong as its foundation and even the most beautiful mansion will sink if built on top of a sink hole. please get off our rb’s backs and place all the blame where it deserves to be , our 0-line.
June 21st, 2015 at 9:01 pm
Pretty soon they’ll take off their underwear and put their faces on people
June 21st, 2015 at 10:27 pm
Cosell, I don’t know what to make of your comment, but it made me laugh! Now, back to the article. Lavonte wants to be paid like a pass rushing 3-4 OLB. The Bucs want to pay him like a 4-3 OLB. This is like the Jimmy Graham WR/TE situation all over again.
June 22nd, 2015 at 12:09 pm
This might be the closest the Joes have come to ripping the pop star