That strange Jon Gruden-Oakland Raiders-Tampa Bay Buccaneers tri-connection just keeps on marching on. And now, it comes in the form of the Raiders running back needs.
According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the new boss man of the Raiders met with former Bucs running back Doug Martin and reportedly came away extremely “impressed with him as a person.”
Sources: #Raiders coach Jon Gruden recently arranged for a face-to-face meeting with former #Bucs RB Doug Martin and came away impressed with him as a person. Oakland expected to make a strong push for Martin in free agency.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 9, 2018
It's now the general consensus that Oakland will push strong to pursue Martin in free agency.
Gruden has already made mention of his infatuation with Raiders current back Marshawn Lynch who's still under contract through 2018. It appears as though help is not only needed, but wanted.
Martin, 29, has experienced and up-and-down NFL career.
Drafted 31st overall by the Bucs in 2012, he burst on to the scene quickly with a tremendous rookie season line of 1,454 yards and 11 scores on a juicy 4.6 yards per carry average. The campaign culminated with an NFL All-Rookie Team honor.
The only other season Martin surpassed 1,000 yards came in 2015, a year that saw him go for 1,402 and six scores on an even juicier 4.9 yards per carry. Other than those two spectacular seasons, Martin's portrayed an average NFL back. Worse yet, he's been an average NFL back who cannot stay healthy.
Of a possible 96 NFL games his teams have played, Martin's only dressed for 68.
The position of running back in the NFL is no joke. Injuries will and should occur. When it comes to Martin, durability has always remained a major question.
Other than the man they call Beastmode, Jalen Richard, DeAndre Washington and Elijah Hood represent the backs on Oakland's depth chart.
Free agency officially opens up on March 14. The legal tampering period begins two days prior on March 12. Expect a big push from Jon Gruden and the Oakland Raiders organization in bringing in Doug Martin to add depth behind Marshawn Lynch.
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