Buccaneers' Doug Martin: Endures nightmarish first season under new contract

Martin (suspension) rushed for 421 yards and three touchdowns on 144 carries (2.9 YPC) while hauling in 14 of 16 targets for 134 yards during the 2016 season. He also lost a fumble.

Analysis:

Just 10 months ago, Martin was riding high after re-signing with the Bucs on a five-year, $35.75 million deal mere hours before the start of free agency. Once the lights went on for the 2016 regular season, however, it appeared the fifth-year pro was on a constant downhill slide. A hamstring injury in Week 2 knocked him out for the ensuing six contests, and he struggled upon getting back on the field. The 27-year-old notably averaged less than three yards per carry in five of the six games he played upon returning, with a season-high 87-yard performance against the Seahawks serving as the only exception during that stretch. Although Martin appeared to run decisively for the most part in 2016, there were some rumblings about him exhibiting poor vision and not exploiting available lanes at times. Backfield mate Jacquizz Rodgers' solid performances behind essentially the same offensive line likely lent further credence to that theory, and with Martin's season ending under the spectre of a PED suspension, his future in Tampa is in doubt --an inconceivable notion heading into this past season.