Doug Martin may not return as starter says Jason Licht

As many know, Doug Martin will be suspended for the first three games, most believed Martin would return as a starter, but Jason Licht recently provided doubt to that belief.

The Buccaneers Doug Martin, when healthy, has proven to be effective most of the time. However, Doug is injured more often than not. It is easy to see why Licht would not guarantee his spot as a starter. ESPN writer Dan Graziano released a statement by Licht which stated:

"“It might not, Look, he has done everything we’ve asked him to do, and he looks reminiscent of 2015 when he was playing for his contract. He looks the same out there, mentally and physically. So he might be one of those guys that needs a carrot. And he’s got a pretty big carrot in front of him right now because there’s no guarantees that he’s going to be here. And he knows that. We’ve talked to him, and he’s good with it. He goes, ‘I understand.’ So we like the committee that we have for the first three games, and we’ll see what happens, you never know. Somebody can kind of jump out of there.”"

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Martin at his best is no question the best running back on the team. While that may be an obvious thing to say, some people have a hard time believing it. I understand the frustration fans have with Martin, as Doug has not lived up to his contract thus far. However, I believe Licht is just trying to motivate Martin. I do not think Jacquizz Rodgers, Charles Sims III or Jeremy McNichols provide any real threat to Martin’s job.

Rodgers filled in excellently when called upon, but he is not cut out to be a workhorse. Sims has also had his fair share of injuries and is best served as a complimentary back. Another thing with Sims is that he can be very inconsistent with his running, as he been prone to dancing too much and not gaining much yardage. The biggest question mark of the RB core is McNichols; no one knows how he will do. McNichols strong suit appears to be his pass-catching ability which most likely means he is more of a threat to Charles Sims’ job than Martin’s.

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Admittedly, I have always been a fan of Martin, but like every fan, I want what is best for the team. If another RB is playing excellently while Martin is suspended, they deserve the first crack at the starting spot. If no RB stands out, then Martin should still have to compete for the starting spot. Martin may be the highest paid RB on the roster, but he should not be gifted the job. I still believe Martin will be the starter week 4, but he has to earn it and Licht’s statement will only add fuel to his fire.