Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Doug Martin Continues to Prove He's Back to Pro Bowl Form

After the 2012 season, it looked like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had struck gold with that year’s 31st overall pick, Doug Martin.

Despite many fans hoping the team would land Alabama star running back Trent Richardson with its earlier first-rounder, the Bucs got the better end of the deal when they traded back into the latter part of the round to take Martin.

The Boise State product racked up nearly 2,000 total yards and scored 12 touchdowns in his rookie season, earning him a trip to the Pro Bowl and giving Tampa Bay hope it had found a true difference-maker in the backfield.

But just as quickly as Martin’s star soared, it came crashing back to earth over the next two seasons, as injuries, inconsistency and poor offensive line play hampered Martin’s ability to live up to the high expectations his 2012 performance had created. He missed 15 of those 32 games between 2013 and 2014, barely topping 500 total yards in each year and finding the end zone just three times.

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With plenty of uncertainty surrounding his durability and effectiveness, the Bucs announced they would not be picking up Martin’s fifth-year option for the 2016 season.

Challenge accepted.

Martin responded by dropping 20 pounds in the offseason, showing up to training camp slimmer and more explosive. Throughout practices and limited preseason game action, Martin flashed the same quickness, vision and tackle-breaking ability he displayed as a rookie. But would that translate to regular-season success?

Through five games, the answer is an emphatic yes.

Coming off his first 100-yard game of the season in a losing effort against the Carolina Panthers in Week 4, Martin spearheaded Tampa Bay’s first home win since 2013 with one of the best performances of his career.

Against a Jacksonville Jaguars team that ranked fourth in the league in rushing defense (giving up just 83 yards per game), Martin rushed for 123 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 24 carries, adding 35 yards on three catches, including another touchdown.

Martin’s fantastic display on Sunday included plenty of yards after contact, as well as some shifty moves that left defenders grasping at air. His ability to pick up decent chunks on first down put the Bucs in manageable situations on second and third downs, helping the team move the chains 20 times and convert five of its 11 third-down attempts.

Through five games in 2015, Martin has now carried the ball 90 times for 405 yards, averaging 4.5 yards per carry and finding the end zone three times. He’s also added 94 yards and a touchdown on 11 receptions, proving he’s regained his ability to impact the game as a receiver out of the backfield.

Martin is currently on pace to put up nearly 1,600 total yards and 12 touchdowns this season, numbers that look much more like his Pro Bowl stats from 2012 than the injury-riddled back Bucs fans have seen over the past two years. Especially considering he’s running behind an offensive line that features four new starters (two of whom are rookies), Martin’s 2015 campaign so far is one of the league’s best comeback stories.

The Bucs still have plenty of issues to iron out on both sides of the ball, but it’s clear they have at least one thing they can rely on: a consistent running game and valuable checkdown receiver to help rookie quarterback Jameis Winston and a talented Tampa Bay offense. Martin’s presence should allow the Bucs to continue sustaining long drives, which will help keep the defense fresh and take pressure off Winston as he acclimates to the NFL.

Martin told USA Today Sports' Tom Pelissero (h/t NFL.com's Dan Hanzus) that he's not too fond of his college nickname, “Muscle Hamster,” and with his performance so far this season, he’s earned the right to demand he be called whatever he wants.

For now, it should be enough to say, "He’s back."

Luke Easterling is a Featured Columnist covering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and NFL draft for Bleacher Report. He is also a senior NFL draft analyst for Draft Breakdown. Follow him on Twitter @Luke Easterling.