It's never a total shock when veteran players coming off injury are released, but the Giants cutting starting middle linebacker Blake Martinez yesterday was surprising. The team cut down to 53 players on Tuesday and kept him then, and they don't really have a proven replacement. But the NFL's 3rd-leading tackler as recently as 2020 is on the street.
The Giants have a brand-new coaching staff, one that apparently didn't like what it saw out of Martinez this preseason. The release is being called a mutual decision; okay. Time marches onward.
One clear beneficiary is third-year linebacker Tae Crowder; he had 130 total tackles a year ago, and will be looked to to repeat those numbers. The other inside spot, we're thinking, will be filled by a rookie, fifth-rounder Micah McFadden. He had 77 total tackles and 6.5 sacks at Indiana last year, and turned in a strong preseason. His presence was probably a factor in the team being comfortable moving on from Martinez. Crowder is the safer pick in IDP leagues; McFadden is a later-round speculative choice who could play off handsomely.
As for Martinez, I don't think he'll be unemployed for long. He's 28 years old and should have a couple good years left. The years so far have been very good.
Over the past decade, there have been 54 seasons where a linebacker had at least 140 tackles, so about five per year. Only three guys have done it four times: Luke Kuechly, Bobby Wagner and Martinez. (Date compiled using the search tools at pro-football-reference.com.)
140-TACKLE LINEBACKERS, 2012-2021 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Season | Team | G | Solo | Ast | Comb |
Foyesade Oluokun | 2021 | ATL | 17 | 102 | 90 | 192 |
Jordyn Brooks | 2021 | SEA | 17 | 109 | 75 | 184 |
Vontaze Burfict | 2013 | CIN | 16 | 114 | 57 | 171 |
Bobby Wagner | 2021 | SEA | 16 | 93 | 77 | 170 |
C.J. Mosley | 2021 | NYJ | 16 | 103 | 65 | 168 |
Bobby Wagner | 2016 | SEA | 16 | 85 | 82 | 167 |
Zach Cunningham | 2020 | HOU | 16 | 106 | 58 | 164 |
Luke Kuechly | 2012 | CAR | 16 | 103 | 61 | 164 |
Darius Leonard | 2018 | IND | 15 | 111 | 52 | 163 |
Roquan Smith | 2021 | CHI | 17 | 95 | 68 | 163 |
Paul Posluszny | 2013 | JAX | 15 | 122 | 40 | 162 |
Kiko Alonso | 2013 | BUF | 16 | 87 | 72 | 159 |
Bobby Wagner | 2019 | SEA | 16 | 86 | 73 | 159 |
Luke Kuechly | 2013 | CAR | 16 | 93 | 63 | 156 |
Blake Martinez | 2019 | GNB | 16 | 97 | 58 | 155 |
NaVorro Bowman | 2015 | SFO | 16 | 116 | 38 | 154 |
Denzel Perryman | 2021 | LVR | 15 | 102 | 52 | 154 |
Jaylon Smith | 2020 | DAL | 16 | 89 | 65 | 154 |
Luke Kuechly | 2014 | CAR | 16 | 99 | 54 | 153 |
DeAndre Levy | 2014 | DET | 16 | 117 | 34 | 151 |
Blake Martinez | 2020 | NYG | 16 | 86 | 65 | 151 |
Jordan Hicks | 2019 | ARI | 16 | 93 | 57 | 150 |
D'Qwell Jackson | 2015 | IND | 16 | 89 | 61 | 150 |
Zach Brown | 2016 | BUF | 16 | 97 | 52 | 149 |
NaVorro Bowman | 2012 | SFO | 16 | 96 | 52 | 148 |
Chad Greenway | 2012 | MIN | 16 | 98 | 50 | 148 |
Christian Kirksey | 2016 | CLE | 16 | 96 | 52 | 148 |
Lavonte David | 2015 | TAM | 16 | 85 | 62 | 147 |
Jerod Mayo | 2012 | NWE | 16 | 88 | 59 | 147 |
De'Vondre Campbell | 2021 | GNB | 16 | 102 | 44 | 146 |
Lavonte David | 2014 | TAM | 14 | 101 | 45 | 146 |
Kwon Alexander | 2016 | TAM | 16 | 108 | 37 | 145 |
NaVorro Bowman | 2013 | SFO | 16 | 120 | 25 | 145 |
Lavonte David | 2013 | TAM | 16 | 107 | 38 | 145 |
Jerrell Freeman | 2012 | IND | 16 | 90 | 55 | 145 |
Sean Lee | 2016 | DAL | 15 | 93 | 52 | 145 |
Preston Brown | 2017 | BUF | 16 | 84 | 60 | 144 |
Luke Kuechly | 2019 | CAR | 16 | 81 | 63 | 144 |
Curtis Lofton | 2014 | NOR | 16 | 99 | 45 | 144 |
Blake Martinez | 2018 | GNB | 16 | 91 | 53 | 144 |
Blake Martinez | 2017 | GNB | 16 | 96 | 48 | 144 |
Joe Schobert | 2017 | CLE | 16 | 87 | 57 | 144 |
Kyzir White | 2021 | LAC | 17 | 90 | 54 | 144 |
Eric Kendricks | 2021 | MIN | 15 | 81 | 62 | 143 |
Zach Cunningham | 2019 | HOU | 16 | 99 | 43 | 142 |
Cole Holcomb | 2021 | WAS | 16 | 83 | 59 | 142 |
James Laurinaitis | 2012 | STL | 16 | 117 | 25 | 142 |
Jaylon Smith | 2019 | DAL | 16 | 83 | 59 | 142 |
Paul Worrilow | 2014 | ATL | 16 | 84 | 58 | 142 |
D'Qwell Jackson | 2013 | CLE | 16 | 75 | 66 | 141 |
Joe Schobert | 2020 | JAX | 16 | 84 | 57 | 141 |
Leighton Vander Esch | 2018 | DAL | 16 | 102 | 38 | 140 |
Bobby Wagner | 2012 | SEA | 16 | 87 | 53 | 140 |
Devin White | 2020 | TAM | 15 | 97 | 43 | 140 |
Wagner, of course, was also released this offseason, and the Rams were happy to bring him in and install him in the middle of their defense. Martinez is coming off injury, and the timing of the move just a week before the start of the season makes it less likely there's a team out there that will immediately add him and put him in its starting lineup.
But I do think he'll sign and have some value this season. A 140-tackle season is probably pushing it, but he should be a starter somewhere before long.
--Andy Richardson