After a tumultuous 2013 season, the Dolphins are eager to move on from the chaos and move forward in 2014. They’ve openly said that Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin are highly unlikely to be back in Miami for this upcoming season, but Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (via Twitter) hears that the door could still be open for Martin.
Martin’s reps have talked with Miami and while a return can’t be handicapped as likely at this point, Rapoport hears that it’s not impossible that he’ll be staying put this year. For his part, Martin says he wants to continue playing in the NFL even though it would seem from the outside that the rigors of the game and the locker room gave him trouble lsat season.
“I understand opportunities in the NFL are fleeting,” Martin said. “I’m hopeful that I get another opportunity and I can make the most of it, because this is what I love to do. I don’t know what I would do if I wasn’t playing football.”
The 24-year-old tackle is on an affordable contract, with a cap number of about $1.3MM in 2014 and $1.52MM in 2015. A trade is also possible because even though his trade value isn’t sky high, clubs do have interest in the former second-round pick and may look to work directly with Miami in order to avoid worrying about waiver priority and competition from other clubs.