In his first campaign with the Oakland Raiders, former Pro Bowl running back Doug Martin has stepped up into a prominent in the backfield for the team over the last few weeks.
This has seen him pick up the slack in the backfield while running back Marshawn Lynch is still on the mend from groin surgery. Following Sunday's 34-17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, head coach Jon Gruden has voiced that he hopes that the team will be able to retain Martin for another season, according to Scott Bair of NBC Sports Bay Area.
“Hopefully we can keep him around here,” Gruden said. “He’s a heck of a football player.”
Martin has picked up his level of production since Lynch has been out of the lineup as he leads the team with 384 rushing yards and a touchdown. This has seen him tally more than 45 rushing yards in each of the last five games while he's coming off his first touchdown of the season along with rushing for 51 yards on 11 attempts against the Ravens.
There is no question that Martin has enough left in the tank to be a serviceable running back that can produce when needed, but his days as a workhorse option may be behind him. He has proven that he is past the injury bug this season, but his presence primarily provides stability and stable play almost entirely in the running game. Granted, his production may be limited due to his workload and the offense's struggles to find any consistency this season.
There could be a scenario that sees Martin back in the fold next season, but given the Raiders' issues this season he may look to find work with another team where he could be in a better position to help contribute to a team on the rise.
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