Bruising Doug Martin
January 10th, 2016
Doug Martin proved to be one of the NFL’s best after contact.
Yes, sometimes there are differences at the headquarters of JoeBucsFan.com, but not enough rancor to break the “Making of the Squad” DVD.
One Joe thinks so little of the Pro Football Focus squad, he considers the website mental malware if not Internet graffiti.
The other Joe is very suspicious of the same outfit, if not downright hostile to some of their practices, but tries to keep an open mind. It is in this effort that Joe learned that, by gosh, Doug Martin is one punishing running back. Everyone’s favorite Muscle Hamster seems to pick up steam after he gets hit.
That’s the numberscrunchers conclusion after watching Bucs tape. In fact, the spreadsheeters believe no running back in the NFL was better after getting splashed than Martin.
@PFF – Tampa Bay’s Doug Martin was the only RB this season with 150+ carries to average more than 3.0 yards per carry AFTER contact (3.15)
This is great to see, but also it makes Joe wince wondering just how much punishment Martin can take. Sooner or later that takes a toll. Martin turns 27 next week (early Happy Birthday wishes, Doug). That’s late-middle age for running backs.
Joe has no question Martin will return to the Bucs next season. At worst, the Bucs hold the franchise tag hammer, which can be also used for the 2017 season.
After that, Martin turns 29 and we all know what happens to running backs not named “Adrian Peterson” when they hit the magic age of 30.
January 10th, 2016 at 1:07 pm
It was gis contract season. Someone will overpay for him and he will not come back in the same shape he showed up in last start to training camp. Iicht dradted simms and he got alot of snaps gor a reason. It would be nice to see martin stay but it may not ve worth matching someone elses offer.
January 10th, 2016 at 1:11 pm
Malpractice not to re-sign your most consistent and productive football player on the entire team by a mile.
Licht, this is your first test after your benefactor has left the building. Don’t eff it up.
January 10th, 2016 at 1:11 pm
Chucky’s coming back to coach the bucs. We already have a good offensive coordinator and a good defensive coordinator. Chucky’s going to bring some motion to the 4 deeps scheme. He’s going to take another FSU quarterback to the Superbowl for the bucs! You heard it here first.
January 10th, 2016 at 1:16 pm
He’s also got two less season under his belt; just like Peterson is working with an extra one after sitting out last yr.
Stop with this addition by subtraction talk. Martin is a great every down back. He turns nothing into something. He’s elusive, and when it looks like he should be brought down behind the line he gets 3-5. Big difference between 2nd and 5 and 2nd and 15.
Martin is elite, and he was elite this year. He’s a team guy and we’ve successfully developed him since drafting him. Sign him. I’m confident Koetter understands this. We have the money and he’s one player on this team that deserves the investment.
January 10th, 2016 at 1:37 pm
I believe Martin will maintain his conditioning and remain a threat going forward.
January 10th, 2016 at 1:39 pm
Agree Mike we have the money and Martin is worth it…and if he gets too large an offer from another team the only thing we’ll have to use is our “Franchise tag”.
I’m not sure we have any other players we need to worry about using the FT on.
Demar Dotson? I honestly can’t see any players on this Bucs roster other than Martin worth an FT.
January 10th, 2016 at 1:55 pm
At bucfan I hope you are right. Time will tell. Its just that statistically it happens often when players are in n theyre contract year
January 10th, 2016 at 2:11 pm
He’s 29 with 4 years in the NFL? We drafted him at 25? That is sad, first because I didn’t know that and second because the Bucs drafted a RB who would hit 30 the year after his contract is up. I would be hasty to sign Doug to any more than 3 years.
January 10th, 2016 at 2:42 pm
CM-
His is 26, go back and read it again.
January 10th, 2016 at 3:12 pm
Sign him, the message you send by not signing him is wore than Martin’s potential for under performing.
This guy has proved himself and maybe greater than Peterson at 30.
Martin has the ring of honor potential that only a few Bucs in the past few years have had.
January 10th, 2016 at 3:24 pm
Overpaying Martin is not a problem….who the hell cares about that couple of million?…….We have plenty of money and I suspect some of that will be wasted….while we are at it…we can overpay Vjax too.
Lets keep all the good players…get rid of the mediocre and pick up a few more good ones….that is how you build a team.
Doug Martin is a Buc….a great player…..great character…..a no-brainer.
January 10th, 2016 at 3:36 pm
You don’t buy PFF…but their “practices” typically reflect the same outcomes of the All-Pro voting…so what do you buy?
January 10th, 2016 at 3:40 pm
Yea AP sure looked old out there this season…
January 10th, 2016 at 4:27 pm
All Licht can do is to put a fair offer on the table. That’s it.
If his agent is looking for stupid money and finds a suitor, Martin probably jumps to a West Coast team or a Lombardi contender.
I’d hate to lose this guy though. Watching him play makes me happy. He’s a real football player that plays as tough as anyone else on the entire team.
January 10th, 2016 at 4:37 pm
You won’t find another player willing to take the beating up the middle that Martin takes…..but…we do need a short yardage back….would love to see us upgrade the FB position to someone who can make a play…..either Lane can’t or they don’t give him a chance…..same thing…
January 10th, 2016 at 6:00 pm
Martin also wasn’t used much the 2 previous seasons. I think Martin still has magic in those legs. Sign him to a 3 year deal. He deserves the money after the performance he put on this year. He is the best rb after contact. Think about that. It’s not about our o line being great, it’s about Martin shaking off defenders and pounding out more yards. He earned every yard. It wasn’t just a product of a good o line.
January 10th, 2016 at 6:31 pm
The potential saved from not overpaying is not going to land you that dynamite DE or CB in FA that some of you fantasize about in a perfect world with a team not called the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Again, Martin is your most productive, most consistent football player on your entire team. Roll the dice if that’s what you want to call paying a little extra to retain quality drafted talent. The grass isn’t always greener and that is most apt in this scenario.
January 10th, 2016 at 8:22 pm
Rookies dont cost much… But still with over 60m to work with, we can afford a top end DE (15m), a top end CB(10m), some safeties(5m), and doug martin (6-8m?). and still have money to burn on a few wrs, and more depth. The money is no issue in resigning martin. We can’t pull a “Revis” with martin, pay the men that deserve it and stop relying on unproven players.
January 10th, 2016 at 8:32 pm
Besides, any player that is top notch and willing to come to tampa because we paid the most. Is not the type of player we need here. We dont need money hungry losers. No more Michael Johnsons, or Anthony Collins. Find the middle of the road guys to fill roles, and draft the future. Most teams dont let great talent walk away, (unless you’re the bucs). And if they do let them walk, it’s because they weren’t worth the money asked. So why should the bucs over pay for someone else’s trash? When we aren’t even willing to pay our own proven players.
January 11th, 2016 at 8:50 pm
Muscle Hamster – Good first year – good contract year. What happened to the 3 years in between ? Pay him big money and watch him disappear ? Franchise his butt and then see what he does.