Las Vegas Raiders: 3 potential free agent targets at linebacker
By Matt Holder
Blake Martinez
Out of all the players named in this article, Blake Martinez might be the closest one to a complete linebacker. While he doesn’t necessarily have a specialty like Littleton or Schobert, Martinez has been a swiss-army knife in Green Bay.
During his four years as a Packer, the Stanford product accumulated 512 total tackles, 29 of which for loss, and 10.5 sacks. His PFF coverage grades the last couple of seasons have been impressive as well, and are significantly higher than any Raiders’ linebacker in 2018 or 2019 (minimum 220 snaps). If Guenther is adamant about maintaining the team’s status as the eighth-best rushing defense in the league, then Martinez could be a good compromise.
As impressive as his career has been, this past year was a down year for the four-year veteran. He missed a total of 18 tackles, allowed a completion percentage of 83.8, and a passer rating of 102.1 when targeted. Those aren’t exactly ideal statistics for a contract year and certainly raise caution for any potential suitors.
However, this regression could work in the Silver and Black’s favor as it may drive the free agent’s market down and the team could get him for a discount. It’s difficult to determine where Martinez will end up falling on the pay scale, but about $8 million per year seems like a reasonable price tag. That amount places him just above rookie Devin White and in the same category as veterans Demario Davis and Jordan Hicks, per OTC.