Former BSU Running Back Looking for a New NFL Job
He was a record setting running back for the Boise State Broncos on a record setting team and he was a two time NFL Pro Bowl choice, but now he's looking to simply stay in the NFL this 2018 season.
Running back Doug Martin had multiple second chances with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, He had a breakout 2015 season which earned him a new 5 year contract beginning in 2016 for $37.5 million dollars with $15 million guaranteed. But since that new contract, he’s had a tough time with injuries, benchings and a suspension for performance enhancing drugs. It’s safe to say, since his new contract, he’s been a disaster.
Tampa Bay announce that they were releasing him today freeing up about $6.75 million in salary cap space.
At the end of 2016, Martin got hit with his four-game suspension for violating the league’s PED drug policy. That led his salary that was guaranteed for 2017 to be voided.
Martin came back from suspension in Week 5 this past season, but was never the same as he was in 2015 and had only 406 yards rushing and three touchdowns. Trust me, I know, I picked up Martin for my fantasy team and he killed me week after week until I finally benched him too.
Martin was one of the worst starting running backs in football last year. With a potential hit of $6.75 million dollars to the salary cap, which would make him the 4th highest paid running back in the NFL for the upcoming season, Tampa had apparently came to the same conclusion I did as coach of my Fantasy Football team. It was time to cut him loose.
The Bucs selected Martin in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft. His future looked extremely bright as he put up a strong numbers as a rookie with 1,454 rushing yards and 12 total touchdowns.
Martin is going into free agency for the first time in his career. He’s 29 years old which tends to be on the downhill side of the age for peak performance for running backs but who knows. With a new team getting a new chance maybe he can find that old Muscle Hamster Magic again from his days of running on the blue. I for one hope so.