Doug Martin more likely to be traded than Vincent Jackson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers star wide receiver Vincent Jackson has been involved in plenty of trade rumors over the past week, as marquee teams such as the New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, and Philadelphia Eagles have shown interest in the No. 1 wideout. The WR-needy Kansas City Chiefs are another playoff contender with known interest, and those are just four of the several franchises that have called the Buccaneers with inquiries about the availability of the big, speedy receiver.
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ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that despite all of the interest in the star receiver, the Buccaneers player with the best chance of being traded this season is running back Doug Martin, as the Bucs have also received calls for the former first-round pick out of Boise State. Martin set the league on fire as a rookie with 1,454 rushing yards, establishing himself as a big-time all-around back with impressive displays as a pass-catcher and in pass protection.
The Buccaneers, however, no longer seem to like Martin, as the new regime headed by Lovie Smith and Jason Licht can’t be impressed with his anemic 2.9 yards per carry. Martin is a talented back, but he’s probably better off leaving elsewhere, especially if he can find a better opportunity. The Bucs have much more depth at RB than WR, and the coaching staff seems to love Bobby Rainey, and they also have well-rounded rookie Charles Sims to look forward to.
The Patriots and Buccaneers swung a blockbuster deal this offseason, and the Pats are interested in Jackson and a running back; I wonder if they could end up acquiring Martin in lieu of Stevan Ridley’s injury. Last year, they traded for LeGarrette Blount from the Bucs, so they are no strangers to turning talented Buccaneers RBs from the doghouse in top performers again (Blount also struggled after a big rookie year).