DETROIT — When will Brodric Martin make his NFL debut?
We’ve gotten that question for the mailbag every week. Dan Campbell himself has gotten it a few times in press conferences. Now, there is an answer.
On Monday Night Football.
Martin, a massive rookie defensive tackle out of Western Kentucky, has been activated for tonight’s game against Las Vegas at Ford Field. He’s dressing in place of Levi Onwuzurike and Isaiah Buggs, fellow defensive tackles who have been benched against the Raiders. Center Frank Ragnow (calf/toe), running back David Montgomery (ribs) and cornerback Steven Gilmore are also inactive.
Martin was a relative unknown coming out of Western Kentucky, and an obvious project when it came to technique and level of competition. But he has such a unique combination of speed and sheer size that GM Brad Holmes gave away a package of Day 3 draft picks to acquire Martin in Round 3.
Martin flashed his high-end traits in camp, including putting Ragnow on his hindparts during the first week of padded work. But he also needed obvious refinement with his pad level and technique, and was the only draft pick not to play in the first seven games of the season.
But with the defense coming off its worst game of the season — a 38-6 bloodletting in Baltimore — Detroit has decided the time is now to take the training wheels off and see what the kid can do.
On the other side of the trench, the Lions will be without their Pro Bowl center for the first time this season. Ragnow was listed as doubtful with calf and toe injuries that kept him off the practice field all week, and was ultimately ruled out. With Jackson also out for a third straight week, Detroit is down two interior offensive linemen.
Graham Glasgow is expected to move to center, after previously starting at right and left guard this season. The rest of the starting lineup on the interior is a mystery, with Halapoulivaati Vaitai (who is dealing with a back injury), Kayode Awosika, Dan Skipper and rookie Colby Sorsdal among the options.