Ex-Giants stud could come back to haunt NY in Las Vegas
By Mike Luciano
The New York Giants may have started the season off in surprisingly effective fashion, but they are still trying to play out from under the constrictions Dave Gettleman left for them thanks to reckless spending. Many of the team’s veterans had to be traded or cut thanks to Gettleman misjudging how close the franchise was to contending.
Linebacker Blake Martinez was one such departure, as his comeback from a season-ending injury that limited him to just three games in 2021-22 was cut short by his preseason release. Due to such a catastrophic injury showing up in his otherwise clean resume, the Stanford product had a hard time finding work.
If Martinez landed in a scheme that would utilize him as a between-the-tackles run-stuffer, he might play so well that it could be a black mark on Joe Schoen’s resume. Martinez will get one more chance to show his value with an AFC West squad.
Martinez signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, reuniting him with former Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. With the Chargers hurting and the Broncos sputtering, Martinez could help improve Vegas’ defense to a point where they can compete in the division.
As expected Blake Martinez to the active roster and he will play against the Chiefs #RaiderNation
— Raiders Report Mitchell Renz (@MitchellRenz365) October 7, 2022
Former Giants LB Blake Martinez signed with the Raiders
In a four-year stretch with the Giants and Green Bay Packers, Martinez played in every game and recorded at least 144 tackles each year. While he’s not the most explosive athlete in the world, Martinez has made a living as a reliable two-down thumper for the last half-decade.
While the Giants’ defense is approximately 500 times better than it was last year thanks to the success of Wink Martindale, the linebacking corps isn’t the best. Martinez was released as a cap casualty following his injury, but he still has juice left in the tank.
Martinez, at full strength, was one of the few Gettleman signings that actually had a positive impact on the team. Yes, the Giants had no cap room, but there were other ways for space to be cleared that didn’t involve casting one of their team leaders into the free agent pool.
#Raiders DC Patrick Graham on LB Blake Martinez: "We go back to 2018 in Green Bay. Met him. Our relationship grew from there. He was one of the smartest guys I've ever been around. He did a great job for me in terms of running the defense. We've always stayed close."
— Anthony Galaviz (@agalaviz_TheBee) October 4, 2022
Graham was not a perfect coordinator, but he knew how to turn Martinez into an effective leader. The Giants are rolling along so far thanks to a hot start to the season, but Martinez playing well in Vegas could show that letting him go was a bit of a missed opportunity that Schoen would like to redo.
