Doug Martin Not Assured Starting Job Upon Suspension Return
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin has not been assured that he will be the team's starting running back when he returns from a drug suspension, general manager Jason Licht told ESPN.
Martin has three games remaining in his suspension and will return in Week 4 against the New York Giants.
"Look, he has done everything we've asked him to do, and he looks reminiscent of 2015 when he was playing for his contract," Licht said. "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.'"
Tampa Bay will likely rely on Jacquizz Rodgers and Charles Sims in Martin's absence.
Martin finished last season with 421 yards and three touchdowns in 144 attempts.
