The Bucs released Doug Martin on Tuesday. He’s now free to sign with any team in the league – if he can find anyone interested in his services.
Martin went over 1,400 rushing yards twice for the Bucs – during a spectacular rookie season, and again in 2015, helping him land a big contract. He was a poster child that year for the theory that players tend to play harder and better when they’re gunning for a new contract.
But Martin’s play dipped badly the last two years. He was largely ineffective, with the offense not really losing much of anything when having to insert backups Jacquizz Rodgers and Peyton Barber in the lineup. He also was suspended four games for violating the league’s substance-abused policy.
Martin is 29 was due to make $6.75 million, making the decision to release him an easy call.
The Bucs can be inked in as a lead-pipe lock to obtain a significant running back in the draft or free agency. They need somebody who’s a lot more talented than Rodgers or Barber. They’ve also got Charles Sims, but he’s more of a third-down option.
Martin hopes to continue his career. “I am in the best shape of my life physically and mentally, and my best football is head of me,” he said in a statement released by the team. “I look forward to the next stage of my career.”
But it will be a surprise if any team is willing to offer him more than incentive-filled deal close to league minimum. He doesn’t look particularly likely to be on a 53-man roster on opening day.
Over the last two years, 37 other running backs have carried the ball at least 200 times, and all of them have averaged over a half yard more per carry than Martin.
| AVERAGE YARDS PER CARRY (2016-17) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Att | Yards | Avg | Lg | TD |
| Mark Ingram | 435 | 2,167 | 4.98 | 75 | 18 |
| Kareem Hunt | 272 | 1,327 | 4.88 | 69 | 8 |
| Bilal Powell | 309 | 1,494 | 4.83 | 75 | 8 |
| Dion Lewis | 244 | 1,179 | 4.83 | 44 | 6 |
| Mike Gillislee | 205 | 960 | 4.68 | 44 | 13 |
| Ezekiel Elliott | 564 | 2,614 | 4.63 | 60 | 22 |
| LeSean McCoy | 521 | 2,405 | 4.62 | 75 | 19 |
| Jordan Howard | 528 | 2,435 | 4.61 | 69 | 15 |
| Devonta Freeman | 423 | 1,944 | 4.60 | 75 | 18 |
| Jay Ajayi | 469 | 2,145 | 4.57 | 71 | 9 |
| Alex Collins | 243 | 1,098 | 4.52 | 50 | 7 |
| Isaiah Crowell | 404 | 1,805 | 4.47 | 85 | 9 |
| LeVeon Bell | 582 | 2,559 | 4.40 | 44 | 16 |
| Derrick Henry | 286 | 1,234 | 4.31 | 75 | 10 |
| Marshawn Lynch | 207 | 891 | 4.30 | 51 | 7 |
| Spencer Ware | 214 | 921 | 4.30 | 46 | 3 |
| Orleans Darkwa | 201 | 862 | 4.29 | 75 | 7 |
| Carlos Hyde | 457 | 1,926 | 4.21 | 61 | 14 |
| Tevin Coleman | 274 | 1,148 | 4.19 | 55 | 13 |
| David Johnson | 304 | 1,262 | 4.15 | 58 | 16 |
| LeGarrette Blount | 472 | 1,927 | 4.08 | 68 | 20 |
| DeMarco Murray | 477 | 1,946 | 4.08 | 75 | 15 |
| C.J. Anderson | 355 | 1,444 | 4.07 | 40 | 7 |
| Latavius Murray | 411 | 1,630 | 3.97 | 46 | 20 |
| Todd Gurley | 557 | 2,190 | 3.93 | 57 | 19 |
| Terrance West | 232 | 912 | 3.93 | 41 | 7 |
| Melvin Gordon | 538 | 2,102 | 3.91 | 87 | 18 |
| Robert Kelley | 230 | 898 | 3.90 | 66 | 9 |
| Leonard Fournette | 268 | 1,040 | 3.88 | 90 | 9 |
| Lamar Miller | 506 | 1,961 | 3.88 | 45 | 8 |
| Frank Gore | 524 | 1,986 | 3.79 | 22 | 7 |
| Matt Forte | 321 | 1,194 | 3.72 | 32 | 9 |
| Jeremy Hill | 259 | 955 | 3.69 | 74 | 9 |
| Jonathan Stewart | 416 | 1,504 | 3.62 | 60 | 15 |
| Devontae Booker | 253 | 911 | 3.60 | 26 | 5 |
| Jerick McKinnon | 309 | 1,109 | 3.59 | 58 | 5 |
| Chris Ivory | 229 | 821 | 3.59 | 42 | 4 |
| Doug Martin | 282 | 827 | 2.93 | 27 | 6 |
—Ian Allan