Prepare for one of the most insane days of the year—the commencement of NFL[1] free agency. Starting today, players are free to sign with any team beginning at 4 p.m. ET. However, a lot of players reached agreements in principle with new organizations yesterday. As you can tell, this slideshow will be examining the best landing spots for running back Doug Martin[2] this offseason. DeMarco Murray[3], who was the top available running back last season, was traded from the Philadelphia Eagles to the Tennessee Titans earlier this week after spending just one season with the team. What do Martin and Murray have in common? Well, Martin, like Murray, will be getting paid handsomely this offseason after rushing for over 1,400 yards in 2015. Let's just hope he doesn't suffer the same fate as Murray. A tandem of Doug Martin and Cleveland Browns running back Duke Johnson would be a sight to behold in 2016 and beyond. Primarily known as a pass-catcher, Johnson would be the perfect complement to a workhorse like Martin. Not only would this pairing boost Cleveland's rushing attack, but if the Browns do indeed draft a quarterback with the second overall selection in the upcoming NFL draft, having a running back like Martin would take a lot of the pressure off of the rookie signal-caller. Of course, the quarterback draft selection is complete speculation, but come on. You know they will. As it stands right now, the Dallas Cowboys have the third-least amount of cap space heading into free agency. And yet the Cowboys have still not released cornerback Brandon Carr or restructured his contract. Figuring out Carr's contract situation will be a factor in the Cowboys cap number this offseason. From a roster standpoint, the Cowboys are about the best team any running back could hope to go to, considering their offensive line, their quarterback and their status as perennial playoff contenders. If the Cowboys can find a way to create enough cap space to sign Martin, it would pay huge dividends. No disrespect to current running back Darren McFadden[4], but if he can run for over 1,000 yards with that Cowboys offensive line, one can only imagine what Martin could do. Earlier this offseason, the Detroit Lions parted ways with running back Joique Bell, leaving Ameer Abdullah, Theo Riddick and Zach Zenner as the top running backs remaining on their roster. While all of the backs listed above are solid, they all have their pros and cons. Riddick is more of a pass-catching back, Zenner has done very little entering his second NFL season and Ameer Abdullah wasn't exactly effective as a lead back in 2015. If the Lions are able to net Martin in the wake of wide receiver Calvin Johnson's retirement, the signing may be able to reinvigorate a fanbase that is likely heartbroken by his departure. While Martin would create a crowded backfield, he is the type of impact player the Lions need to go out and get. Though a new quarterback tops the Houston Texans' list of needs, they're also in need of a running back. After parting ways with veteran running back Arian Foster[5], the Texans are now left with Alfred Blue in the backfield. With over $40 million in cap space, the Texans can definitely afford Martin. However, bidding wars for running backs probably aren't a best practice. Nonetheless, landing a quality free-agent quarterback to go with Martin and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins would provide the Texans with an offense to complement their fantastic defense. The Texans are a team that makes a ton of sense for Martin. If Martin wants money, the Oakland Raiders are the way to go. As we saw on Tuesday, the Raiders agreed to terms with linebacker Bruce Irvin, according to Ian Rapoport[6] of NFL Network. What does this mean? The Raiders are in spending mode as they look to try to become the kings of the AFC West. Pairing Martin with incumbent running back Latavius Murray would make for one heck of a backfield duo. Later on Tuesday, the Jacksonville Jaguars agreed to terms with running back Chris Ivory, also according to Rapoport[7], showing that teams with lots of cap space are looking to upgrade everywhere and anywhere. The Ivory signing also shows that teams in this situation will still sign another running back even if they already have a stable guy at the position like T.J. Yeldon. Like the Jaguars, the Raiders do need a running back to go with Murray. Behind him it's rather bleak. Imagine: Martin, Murray, wide receivers Michael Crabtree[8] and Amari Cooper to go with quarterback Derek Carr. Wow. According to Rick Stroud[9] of the Tampa Bay Times, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Martin are reportedly nearing a deal worth around $6.85 million a season. This makes sense—why break up this young nucleus? With quarterback Jameis Winston and wide receiver Mike Evans, the Buccaneers are setting themselves up for a set of skill position players that will wreak havoc on the league for years to come. While the Raiders make the most sense from a monetary standpoint, returning to the Buccaneers is a smart move for Martin. Cap numbers courtesy of Over The Cap[10]. Follow me on Twitter @RichardJanvrin[11].
References
- ^ NFL (bleacherreport.com)
- ^ Doug Martin (bleacherreport.com)
- ^ DeMarco Murray (bleacherreport.com)
- ^ Darren McFadden (bleacherreport.com)
- ^ Arian Foster (bleacherreport.com)
- ^ Ian Rapoport (twitter.com)
- ^ Rapoport (twitter.com)
- ^ Michael Crabtree (bleacherreport.com)
- ^ Rick Stroud (twitter.com)
- ^ Over The Cap (overthecap.com)
- ^ @RichardJanvrin (twitter.com)
