Doug Martin's Revival Crucial to the Buccaneers' Future

Running back Doug Martin has a chance to be more than a one-hit wonder with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

A Pro Bowl season during Martin's rookie campaign seems to be a long lost memory. Martin rekindled some of those fond memories with his play Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. The third-year back ran for 96 yards on 14 carries.

It was his best effort since Week 2 of the 2013 campaign, when he ran for 144 yards against the New Orleans Saints.

With continued strong late-season play, the "Muscle Hamster" could once again be included in the Buccaneers' long-term plans.

Martin's play in the previous 13 games over the course of two seasons didn't warrant consideration as any part of Tampa Bay's future. Prior to the last weekend's contest against the Detroit Lions, Martin averaged only 3.3 yards per carry during the 2013 season and his first seven games this season.

Whatever Martin possessed to burst onto the NFL scene seemed to be lost.

At one point this season, the organization was trying to trade the former 1,000-yard rusher. A deal wasn't struck prior to the NFL's trade deadline, but ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Nov. 7 that the Buccaneers would still be willing to listen to offers for the Boise State product this offseason.

His last two efforts, though, have been far more promising. The former first-round pick appears to have regained some of what he lost over the past year-and-a-half.

Martin's revitalized play began in Week 14 against the Detroit Lions. He only ran the ball five times but averaged 4.4 yards per carry. Prior to Sunday's effort, it was Martin's best average in over a year:

Year	Carries	Rushing Yards	YPA	Touchdowns	Receptions	Receiving Yards
2012	319	1,454	4.6	11	49	472
2013	127	456	3.6	1	12	66
2014	106	369	3.5	2	13	64

Two things plagued Martin during the last two seasons: The running back struggled with injuries while trying to run behind a subpar offensive line.

While neither issue has been fully resolved, the team's offensive line play improved in recent weeks. The coaching staff continues to shuffle the team's starting five in order to find the best combination.

While the right side of the Buccaneers' offensive line struggled against the Panthers, the unit was much improved in regards to its run-blocking Sunday.

Martin set the tone early with a 63-yard scamper on his second carry of the game. The blocking scheme was simple. The entire offensive line took zone steps left, while Luke Stocker worked his way from the left to the right of the formation due to counter action:

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

Martin followed his blocker, made a decisive cut and exploded through a gaping hole. These were areas of the running back's game that weren't previously seen over the past two seasons.

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

Only a safety (not pictured above), who had the angle on the running back, was able to prevent Martin from scoring a long touchdown. The 63-yard scamper was still the Buccaneers' longest play of the season.

"That's what we wanted to go coming out, to pick up the run game, get the run game going," Martin told Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times. "We moved some guys around, moved (Demar) Dotson over to left tackle, (Oniel) Cousins to right. Me and Charles (Sims) back there, we did a liittle damage today, and I hope going forward we can continue to do that."

Improved line play—which will almost certainly be a top priority for the organization this offseason—is only one half of the equation. Injuries also remain a concern.

Martin's 2013 campaign was cut prematurely short due to a torn labrum that forced the running back to the injured reserve. He also dealt with a nagging ankle injury that cost him five games earlier this season.

At 5'9" and 215 pounds, there are long-term concerns over whether or not Martin could hold up to the rigors of the NFL. However, the NFL is no longer comprised of single-back offenses. Depth at running back is required for any offense to be successful.

The Buccaneers, for example, acquired running back Charles Sims in the third round of May's NFL draft. Sims was expected to push Martin out of the starting lineup, but the two have proven to be complementary pieces.

Sims opened this season on the injured reserve with a designation to return due to an ankle injury. The West Virginia, via Houston, product received his first taste of the NFL in Week 10.

Grant Halverson/Getty Images

"We have a chance to get a back that has a versatile skill set that can score points for us, and we didn't want to turn it down," general manager Jason Licht told reporters after drafting Sims.

The former transfer to West Virginia was one of the most explosive backs in the class. According to NFL.com, he ran a 4.48-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine in Indianapolis. He lit up the Senior Bowl a month prior. He was expected to add a different dynamic to the offense.

No such luck. The rookie is struggling to transition to the NFL. Sims currently averages a woeful 2.7 yards per carry.

Clearly, injuries and poor offensive line play have hindered the first-year running back as well.

But the Buccaneers have an opportunity to build and retain a deep running back stable heading into next season just by keeping Martin on the roster.

As the team learned recently, Martin can still be viable back on first and second downs. The area that Sims truly excels in is on passing downs. During his collegiate career, Sims caught 203 passes. Plus, he displays the type of wiggle that can make things happen when the Buccaneers desperately need to convert a first down.

Sims showed exactly what he is capable of when he broke the ankles of the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Luke Kuechly:

Bobby Rainey has also shown signs of being a legit starting running back in the NFL when given the opportunity, but he didn't get a single carry against the Panthers. He's been primarily been used on special teams, and he dealt with an ankle injury in recent weeks.

There is a common theme developing, and it points to the Buccaneers keeping as much talent at running back as possible.

The position doesn't have a very long shelf life. One injury can completely wreck a team's depth chart if it hasn't adequately addressed the position.

Finally, Martin's rookie contract isn't exorbitant. As the 31st overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft, the running back still has two years remaining on his first professional contract. His cap hit next season is only $1.85 million. According to Over the Cap, the Buccaneers are projected to have over $31 million in cap space next season.

If the Buccaneers can't find a suitable trade partner and instead decide to release him, Martin would account for roughly $2.7 million of dead money against the salary cap.

Financially, it doesn't make much sense to move on from Martin at this point in his career. He's still a 25-year-old running back with upside, and his potential has once again become evident.

As the 2-12 Buccaneers look toward their future, the organization is assessing what building blocks it has in place to move toward a more successful 2015 campaign. Martin may have been a first-round selection by the previous regime in Tampa Bay, but he still holds value for the Buccaneers.

All salary information courtesy of Spotrac. Brent Sobleski covers the NFC South for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter.