The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had until May 3 to reach a decision on whether or not they wanted to pick up Doug Martin’s fifth-year option. According to the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud, the Buccaneers have declined the option, making him an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2015 season.
After a rookie season which saw Martin put up 1,454 rushing yards with 11 touchdowns, the 26-year-old just hasn’t been the same running back. It’s easy to point at the struggles of the offensive line for being the primary reason behind the Muscle Hamster’s downfall, but injuries have also played a significant role.