Doug Martin A “Priority”
November 24th, 2015
Doug Martin re-signing is a “priority” for the Bucs. (Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com.)
Joe noticed some fans, fully using their rear-view mirrors, believed the Bucs made a mistake in not picking up the fifth-year option for Doug Martin.
To keep Martin, who is a free agent after this season, it may cost the Bucs a bundle. But you don’t mind paying for talent.
After his rookie year, Martin became one of the lesser backs in the NFL, injury-prone an ineffective. No general manager in his right mind would have picked up Martin’s fifth-year option based on what Martin put on tape his second and third year in the league, not counting how he couldn’t stay healthy.
For whatever reason, Martin had renewed purpose this offseason (contract year), changed his body and his running style, and is now third in the NFL in rushing with 941 yards.
Of course, it helps that the offensive line was retooled and transformed from a putrid unit into the team’s best with four new starters.
Yesterday, in his day-after briefing, Bucs coach Lovie Smith noted re-signing Martin is a “priority.”
“Is Doug Martin a priority? I can say that, yes, he definitely is,” Lovie said. “I don’t think that’s a bad thing at all to go in to the fifth year. I think it has benefited Doug as much as anything. He’s in a great position now.
“I don’t think Doug came into the season thinking he wasn’t wanted around here. It’s the complete opposite of that and we have acknowledged everything he’s done along the way and we put him in a position to have the type of year that he is having right now. I think it’s all good. If I’m Doug Martin, I’m pretty happy I didn’t sign a contract before and like the position I’m in right now.”
Yeah, Lovie has a point. While Martin may have been peeved his option wasn’t picked up (if he was mad ,he didn’t let on), barring injury, he could hit the lottery soon –with the Bucs or another team. Time will tell.
To hear Lovie’s press conference in full, click the arrow below. Audio courtesy of Joe’s friends at WDAE-AM 620.
November 24th, 2015 at 7:37 am
Re-signing Doug isn’t a question but the question is how much is he worth? 7 or 8 mil a year? I don’t think he’s up in the Peterson class making about 11 mil. but definitely well above average.
November 24th, 2015 at 7:57 am
Doug’s got all the marbles now.
November 24th, 2015 at 8:02 am
Well having a stud OL and QB will be a major factor I’m sure… Maybe he will go team friendly and see the bigger picture… If anyone remembers back in the day… The BUCS actually had national media calling us the new Americas team…. Imagine now all this time later…. We will have the triplets for real… The bad to the bone OL for real and a D to complement them….
This team sure has all the makings of DyNASTY….
JUST NEED TO KEEP THE KILLER INSTINCT WE SAW ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL LAST WEEK AND ITS ALL GOOD!!!!
I am expecting a shutout this year…. Maybe in a game JW is not so hot in??? This week could be the week!!!!
To me way back when the Colts made that crazy comeback on us was the beganing of the downfall of our greatness… I was at that game and remember saying that game was gonna have a lasting impact…. It did and at the end of that year I gave up my season tickets….
I say that because while the Eagles game was a statement game…. This Colts game can set the real marker for a turning point….
Two in a row was nice…. Two in a row on the road and three over all is a turning point!!!
Time to
Rays Up
be the Thunder and
Siege The Day
Simple as That
November 24th, 2015 at 9:10 am
I would hope so. I’m inclined to believe that of all the places Doug Martin could realistically go, and I’m talking about places that put a premium on running backs, Tampa Bay should be at or near the top of the list.
November 24th, 2015 at 9:19 am
I’m sure Martin would like to stay…..and you won’t find someone who gives 100% on every play like Doug Martin…..
I actually think we made the right decision not to extend him at the time….he was coming off some pretty poor production & injuries….but now that he has proven himself worthy….we need to belly-up.
We have over 20mil in cap used this year on the following players that will be exhausted after this year.
Michael Johnson, Anthony Collins, Carl Nicks, Dashon Goldson, Mark Barron
none of these have played a down for us this year.
November 24th, 2015 at 10:28 am
Is there any reason we wouldn’t franchise him each year for the next two years ( not sure about the rule on that ) and play it by ear , production and health wise , each of those two years???
Instead offering a huge contract for a running back.??
November 24th, 2015 at 10:47 am
It would be roughly 11 million a year to franchise him, that’s steep for a RB. Rather than signing him for 2 yrs at that price it would probably make more sense to give him a 4 yr contract at 8 mil a year with the final yr not being guaranteed.
November 24th, 2015 at 12:03 pm
6-7 mill max I’d think. Demarco Murray only got 7 last year and was the leading rusher in the NFL
November 24th, 2015 at 12:24 pm
Just enough to tide us over until Dalvin Cook changes the NFL forever, hopefully here in Tampa!
November 24th, 2015 at 12:40 pm
I am sorry I am in the minority here. Let Doug Martin walk. He is in his contract year and that is why we are seeing this performance. It is amazing the year he is having but do you really want to tie up between 7M and 11M a year for 3 to 4 more years? That is the contract he will be looking for. There is a part of me that says you re-sign your great players because that is what great teams do? Martin has given us two great years and two bad years. It’s a crap shoot. Everyone knows what happens when players sign that big contract, especially great running backs after a very successful contract year. Just look at the Eagles DeMarco Murray?
November 24th, 2015 at 1:31 pm
While Doug Martin is definitely having a career year at the perfect time, the Bucs hold all the cards because they can apply the Franchise Tag on him as many years as they want to. (As a practical matter, they would only use it twice because the third time the rate jumps to the QB rate.) The Bucs can make Doug prove his worth a second time in 2016 and a third time in 2017 before risking losing him on the open market.
I know Doug was close with Josh Freeman, we saw them out around town together several times, so I wonder how Doug feels about how the Bucs handled the Freeman debacle.
November 24th, 2015 at 1:51 pm
Been telling people Doug Never forgot how to run the football, It’s nice to see him proving the doubters wrong.
I hope he cashes in Big for all of his hard work!
November 24th, 2015 at 2:21 pm
Go muscle hamster! Stay muscle hamster! As long as he remains the side stepping bolting bowling ball he’s all ours.
November 24th, 2015 at 3:24 pm
I think the smart thing to do is to resign him to hopefully a team friendly contract that has incentives that will give him to opportunity to get what he wants if its not enough…that way doug will continue to play out of his mind and the bucs will be satisfied with his production….i say give him 4years 26mil with incentives that can bring it up to 30-32mil….GO BUCS!!!
November 24th, 2015 at 10:08 pm
[Dan: Please use one of your two usernames. Joe’s cracking down of the multiple personality commenters. Thanks. — Joe.]
I love Doug Martin. I also remember “Cadillac” Williams. I don’t see Doug walking away from this team though, and I don’t see the Bucs dismissing his value as long as he can finish this season healthy. Go Bucs!