Licht: Bucs haven’t ruled out re-signing RB Martin 
Shoulder, knee and ankle injuries have contributed to Doug Martin’s woes, and that’s one reason the Bucs opted not to commit to the $5.6 million salary that was guaranteed against injury Martin would have been owed in 2016. ASSOCIATED PRESS By Roy Cummings | Tribune Staff Published: May 7, 2015 TAMPA — You wouldn’t know it from the contract maneuver they made this week, but it seems the Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have some long-term plans for former Pro Bowl running back Doug Martin.The Bucs opted this week not to exercise the fifth-year option they hold on Martin’s contract, which means he is slated to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2015 season.But Bucs general manager Jason Licht said during an interview on SiriusXM NFL Radio this week that he plans to be among those offering Martin a new contract, either before or after he hits the open market.“This is an opportunity for him,’’ Licht said of Martin. “He can put himself out there as a free agent and hopefully we can re-sign him, but ... he’s got an opportunity to better himself, and that’s the approach he’s going to take. For lack of a better phrase, he’s got a carrot dangled in front of him right now, and he’s got a chance to really do something good for himself and his family.’’Martin did something special as a rookie, accumulating 1,926 total yards from scrimmage, including 1,454 rushing, but he ran for less than 500 yards in each of the past two seasons.Shoulder, knee and ankle injuries have contributed to Martin’s woes, and that’s one reason the Bucs opted not to commit to the $5.6 million salary that was guaranteed against injury Martin would have been owed in 2016.“We are actually very excited about Doug Martin,’’ Licht said. Offensive coordinator “Dirk Koetter, once he was hired and started watching some of the tape of all of our players, he came away impressed with Doug. Now, Doug had some bad luck with some injuries over the last couple of years, but when he was healthy and you saw the tape of when he was healthy, he was a very effective runner.’’ [email protected](813) 259-7979Twitter: @RcummingsTBO
