Bretsky
08-07-2007, 08:00 AM
Martin fades into view
Receiver growing into solid contributor
By TOM SILVERSTEIN
tsilverstein@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Aug. 6, 2007
Green Bay - Nobody will ever confuse Ruvell Martin with Keyshawn Johnson - not their personalities, anyway - but like Johnson, Martin would like someone to just give him the damn ball.
And where he'd particularly like it is in the end zone when the Green Bay Packers are closing in on the goal line.
At 6 feet 4 inches and 210 pounds, Martin is the tallest receiver on the Packers' roster and he has become fairly accomplished at working the fade route close to the end zone. Given his height and large wingspan, he has been a difficult target for Packers cornerbacks to cover this training camp when the ball is lobbed to him in the corner of the end zone.
Asked if that is a skill he has recently developed, Martin looked genuinely surprised.
"Did you see me in NFL Europe?" the second-year receiver said. "I set a league record (for touchdown receptions) and the majority of them came on those kinds of throws. I did the same thing in college. It's something I'm very comfortable with."
Given the Packers' struggles in the red zone last year - they ranked 31st in touchdown percentage (18 in 49 attempts, or 36.7%) - they could use all the help they can get around the goal line. Martin made the roster last year based on a strong training camp, but early on was mostly a special teams player and was inactive for two of the team's first four games.
By the end of the year, he was playing a lot more and registered catches of 26, 34 and 36 yards (twice) in his final five games. The 36-yarder against San Francisco was a touchdown and the 36-yarder against Minnesota set up the Packers for the winning touchdown.
Martin finished the year with a seven-catch, 118-yard night against Chicago in the season finale and caught 21 passes for 358 yards (17.0 average) and a touchdown for the season.
Now a year more experienced and considerably stronger in the upper body after an active off-season, Martin is hoping the Packers recognize his special talent. They should know it pretty well because backup quarterback Aaron Rodgers throws him the ball deep any time he can during practice.
"It comes from when he was on scout team and I ran the scout team," Rodgers said. "I threw to him just about every time there was a deep ball. I said, 'You know what? We've got a 6-4 guy with jumping ability. If we have a go route against first team defense, I'm going to test them. If we have a fade on the goal line I'm throwing it to him.' After about the first week, we hit about 60% or 70 % of them."
During camp, Martin has consistently showed the ability to jump over defenders and get his hands on the ball on fade routes. He's not limited to running those routes, but his lack of eye-popping speed is the reason he wasn't drafted out of Saginaw Valley State in 2004, had to play in NFL Europe and spent time on the Packers' practice squad in '05.
In one-on-one drills during practice Monday, he had a tough time getting off a bump at the line of scrimmage from cornerback Charles Woodson on one turn and couldn't shake safety Marviel Underwood on a deep route on another turn.
But later after letting a long pass from Brett Favre slide off his fingertips during team drills, he beat cornerback Patrick Dendy on a deep post for a 60-yard touchdown.
"I worked a lot on my strength this off-season," Martin said. "I feel quite a bit stronger in my upper body and my legs. I can see it in the increased weight (I lift) and the number of reps."
Martin will need all his strength to be an effective target during the regular season should he win a roster spot again. He can't afford to get delayed at the line of scrimmage by physical cornerbacks because he doesn't have the speed to make it up once he's freed.
He also has to be aggressive getting to the ball. Rodgers' desperation heave into the end zone on a fourth-down play during the 2-minute portion of the intrasquad scrimmage Saturday was intercepted because Martin didn't get back to the ball. Rodgers took the blame for the play, however, because he said he told Martin he was going to throw it into the back of the end zone.
But the expectation is that no matter where it's thrown, the receiver will go get it.
"I'm glad I've been able to show I can do that this training camp," Martin said. "Hopefully, I'll get a few touchdowns in a game or two. That's something I feel comfortable doing."
Martin is among seven receivers battling for what probably will be two or three roster spots. He, veteran Robert Ferguson and Carlyle Holiday are similar-type receivers and it's unlikely the Packers would keep all three, so Martin has to show he can consistently catch those deep balls.
"I'm competing against the defense," Martin said. "I have to go out and beat Dendy and (Al) Harris and (Jarrett) Bush. That's my competition. Not the other receivers."
Martin said former Packers receiver James Lofton, who was his position coach in San Diego his rookie season, was the one who convinced him his only competition was the defender in front of him. He said consistently measuring yourself against the other receivers is an exercise in insecurity.
"I never go against another wideout," Martin said.
Receiver growing into solid contributor
By TOM SILVERSTEIN
tsilverstein@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Aug. 6, 2007
Green Bay - Nobody will ever confuse Ruvell Martin with Keyshawn Johnson - not their personalities, anyway - but like Johnson, Martin would like someone to just give him the damn ball.
And where he'd particularly like it is in the end zone when the Green Bay Packers are closing in on the goal line.
At 6 feet 4 inches and 210 pounds, Martin is the tallest receiver on the Packers' roster and he has become fairly accomplished at working the fade route close to the end zone. Given his height and large wingspan, he has been a difficult target for Packers cornerbacks to cover this training camp when the ball is lobbed to him in the corner of the end zone.
Asked if that is a skill he has recently developed, Martin looked genuinely surprised.
"Did you see me in NFL Europe?" the second-year receiver said. "I set a league record (for touchdown receptions) and the majority of them came on those kinds of throws. I did the same thing in college. It's something I'm very comfortable with."
Given the Packers' struggles in the red zone last year - they ranked 31st in touchdown percentage (18 in 49 attempts, or 36.7%) - they could use all the help they can get around the goal line. Martin made the roster last year based on a strong training camp, but early on was mostly a special teams player and was inactive for two of the team's first four games.
By the end of the year, he was playing a lot more and registered catches of 26, 34 and 36 yards (twice) in his final five games. The 36-yarder against San Francisco was a touchdown and the 36-yarder against Minnesota set up the Packers for the winning touchdown.
Martin finished the year with a seven-catch, 118-yard night against Chicago in the season finale and caught 21 passes for 358 yards (17.0 average) and a touchdown for the season.
Now a year more experienced and considerably stronger in the upper body after an active off-season, Martin is hoping the Packers recognize his special talent. They should know it pretty well because backup quarterback Aaron Rodgers throws him the ball deep any time he can during practice.
"It comes from when he was on scout team and I ran the scout team," Rodgers said. "I threw to him just about every time there was a deep ball. I said, 'You know what? We've got a 6-4 guy with jumping ability. If we have a go route against first team defense, I'm going to test them. If we have a fade on the goal line I'm throwing it to him.' After about the first week, we hit about 60% or 70 % of them."
During camp, Martin has consistently showed the ability to jump over defenders and get his hands on the ball on fade routes. He's not limited to running those routes, but his lack of eye-popping speed is the reason he wasn't drafted out of Saginaw Valley State in 2004, had to play in NFL Europe and spent time on the Packers' practice squad in '05.
In one-on-one drills during practice Monday, he had a tough time getting off a bump at the line of scrimmage from cornerback Charles Woodson on one turn and couldn't shake safety Marviel Underwood on a deep route on another turn.
But later after letting a long pass from Brett Favre slide off his fingertips during team drills, he beat cornerback Patrick Dendy on a deep post for a 60-yard touchdown.
"I worked a lot on my strength this off-season," Martin said. "I feel quite a bit stronger in my upper body and my legs. I can see it in the increased weight (I lift) and the number of reps."
Martin will need all his strength to be an effective target during the regular season should he win a roster spot again. He can't afford to get delayed at the line of scrimmage by physical cornerbacks because he doesn't have the speed to make it up once he's freed.
He also has to be aggressive getting to the ball. Rodgers' desperation heave into the end zone on a fourth-down play during the 2-minute portion of the intrasquad scrimmage Saturday was intercepted because Martin didn't get back to the ball. Rodgers took the blame for the play, however, because he said he told Martin he was going to throw it into the back of the end zone.
But the expectation is that no matter where it's thrown, the receiver will go get it.
"I'm glad I've been able to show I can do that this training camp," Martin said. "Hopefully, I'll get a few touchdowns in a game or two. That's something I feel comfortable doing."
Martin is among seven receivers battling for what probably will be two or three roster spots. He, veteran Robert Ferguson and Carlyle Holiday are similar-type receivers and it's unlikely the Packers would keep all three, so Martin has to show he can consistently catch those deep balls.
"I'm competing against the defense," Martin said. "I have to go out and beat Dendy and (Al) Harris and (Jarrett) Bush. That's my competition. Not the other receivers."
Martin said former Packers receiver James Lofton, who was his position coach in San Diego his rookie season, was the one who convinced him his only competition was the defender in front of him. He said consistently measuring yourself against the other receivers is an exercise in insecurity.
"I never go against another wideout," Martin said.