Brodric Martin made his long-awaited NFL debut in the Detroit Lions’ win over the Las Vegas Raiders. The third-round rookie had been a healthy scratch for Detroit’s first seven games, but he got his chance in the Lions’ last game before the Week 9 bye.
Martin didn’t do a lot in his debut. The giant defensive tackle from Western Kentucky notched one tackle in 11 snaps. It’s still a start, and one that encouraged Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.
During his media session this week, Glenn was asked about his impression of Martin.
“I thought it was good to get him out there and get him in live action,” Glenn said of the big rookie. “We’re going to continue to work this player in. We said this from the beginning, it’s going to be a work in progress with this player, but he has all the skills that we look for in a D-lineman. It’s just a fact of him coming from where he came from now into the NFL, but he has continued to see these different plays that are coming at him, obviously in how he’s going to play these blocks and understand exactly what we’re trying to do as far as a D-line to continue to improve.
So, happy (with) where he’s at, going to continue to work with this player and it’s going to be good things with this player as the season progresses.”
Martin himself has acknowledged that pad level is an issue, one that Glenn still sees as an area where he can keep getting better.
“Hey, when you’re 6’6, it’s always going to be an issue, so. It has, it really has (improved),” Glenn said of Martin’s pad level. “His understanding – because he’s a smart player. His understanding of playing blocks, that’s the thing that’s different from this player because he didn’t see them in college, and now he’s seeing them from the different run schemes that you get, he’s able to play those now. So, I’m happy with where he’s at.”
