Panthers: Why the Panthers should sign Doug Martin
By Nick Yon
The Carolina Panthers should pounce to sign Doug Martin following his release.
After struggling through suspensions and low production, Doug Martin, a former running back of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has become a salary cap casualty. Thus, he has been released, The 29-year-old running back can still be a temporary asset to the Carolina Panthers for a cheap price. Below are the potential positives and potential negatives of signing him
Potential Positives of Signing Doug Martin
- First, Martin has just been released by an NFC South rival of the Carolina Panthers, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Martin’s signing could give the Panthers a peek into the Buccaneer’s offensive schemes. Martin played under game plans created by Buccaneer’s offensive coordinator Todd Monken for two seasons.
- Martin can become a part of the one-two punch that Carolina needs at running back. Christian McCaffrey can operate as the speedy, tackle-breaking running back that he was drafted to be, while Doug Martin can be a bruising running back that defenders hate to tackle.
- Together, Martin and McCaffrey can be “Smash and Dash 2.0.” They could revive the Panthers’ running game and make things a nightmare for defensive coordinators.
- If the Panthers were to cut Jonathan Stewart, they would save nearly $3.75 million in cap space. Additionally, if Martin signed for less than $3.75 million, the Panthers would have created cap space, signed a younger running back, and added more speed to the backfield.
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Potential Negatives of Signing Doug Martin
- Martin is still 29-years-old, and a running back of that age has very little shelf life left. The Panthers could be better off sticking with Stewart.
- Martin has violated the NFL’s policy in relation to performance-enhancing drugs (PED) He was subject to a 4 game suspension to close out the 2016 season. Martin’s signing would be a potential risk to the Panthers because of this.
- Martin’s resume, while featuring two 1,400+ yard seasons, is extremely inconsistent. Just look at this statistics and you will see what I mean.
The Verdict
For a relatively cheap price, Doug Martin could help to evolve the Panthers’ offense. His power could be exactly what newly minted Offensive Coordinator Norv Turner wants in his offensive game plan. The Panther should sign Doug Martin to a one or two-year “prove-it” deal with less guaranteed money, and more incentives.