Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie running back Doug Martin is coming off one of the best seasons in NFL history for a rookie running back. Finishing with 1,454 yards, Martin also finished second all-time for single season rushing yards, only trailing James Wilder (1,544 yards).
On top of running the ball, Martin also finished 5th in the league for receiving yards among backs, with 472 yards on 49 receptions. Despite all these achievements, Martin did not win rookie of the year, simply because of the competition he was going up against. In another season that didn’t feature the likes of Russell Wilson, Andrew Luck, and the Redskin tandem of RG III and Alfred Morris, Martin would have easily won the award.
Though he didn’t win Rookie of the Year, Martin still had an impressive season that he hopes to expand of next season. Martin alluded to next season in an interview with Pro Player Insiders, “hopefully something similar, I have a lot of confidence in my game and I just got to work out in the off-season and be prepared to do it again.”
One thing Buccaneers fans can look forward to is that most rookie running backs make great progress between years 1 and 2, and I’m sure that is a goal for Martin as well. On the team side of things, the Buccaneers have a lot of promise going into next season. For one, it will be their second year under first time NFL head coach Greg Schiano, and that usually bodes well for NFL clubs. It will also be Josh Freeman and Vincent Jackson’s second year together and last year they proved what a dangerous tandem they can be. Barring a five game skid to from week 12 to to week 16, Tampa Bay would have been in the hunt for a playoff spot, and proving this team isn’t to far from being a contender. With all these factors coming together, along with Doug Martin having a year of experience under his belt, the Bucs should be optimistic about their 2013 season.
