As the Detroit Lions get closer to kickoff against the Green Bay Packers, they're also hoping that their lingering injury luck - or the lack of it - finally washes off of them.
With several key defenders like Alim McNeil, Josh Paschal, and Levi Onwuzurike already dealing with injury woes headed into the year, it's been huge for the Lions to make sure their other starters and their minimal defensive line depth stays healthy ahead of Week 1.
With this in mind, one NFL writer, Logan Ulrich with NFL Trade Rumors, has suggested that at least one of the Lions' healthy defensive linemen should be a trade chip if the team decides to make moves in-season like they were forced to do last year: defensive tackle Brodric Martin.
Martin put on hypothetical trade block by NFL writer
"Detroit's injury luck from last year seems to have already carried over into this season...what that means is the Lions don't have a lot of depth to work with when it comes to trades, and are more likely to bring players in than send them out. One possible exception might be Martin, a surprise third-round pick a couple of years ago who hasn't vindicated the Lions for reaching to get him," wrote Ulrich.
Martin has been a disappointing developmental player for the Lions so far in his young career. If the team selecting Tyleik Williams in the first round is any indication, Martin's status with the team and its 53-man roster is beginning to look shaky. That's something that the lineman couldn't care less about in training camp, though.
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“I’m not worried about that, man. If it happens, God made it happen, and if it don’t happen, God made that happen, too. I’m just going to go out there and have fun. I’m not going to worry about (repping with) two’s, three’s, none of that s**t. Just ball," said Martin to reporters about his status with the team and the DT depth chart.
It's unclear whether Detroit would even be looking to entertain a move that involves Martin considering a point that Ulrich makes early on in his section on the Lions: they're thin at the position. They could rely on Williams, but he's just a rookie who is only now beginning to get into shape for the NFL season.
Martin, a more seasoned NFL player than Williams, should be kept on the roster barring a "blown away" trade offer.