There's a sense of excitement around the Motor City as the Detroit Lions' newest crop of rookies is set to arrive in town. The Lions had a solid performance at last week's NFL draft before continuing to sign more promising rookies as undrafted free agents, setting the stage for Dan Campbell's team to find success for years to come.
Lions fans' first taste of the new blood will come with the team's annual rookie minicamp, beginning on Friday, May 2. As exciting as a glimpse at football's future is, though, it wouldn't be surprising if one Detroit veteran is dealt some bad news once the three-day event wraps up.
Lions DT Brodric Martin Could Be Cut After Rookie Minicamp
As well as the Lions have drafted in recent years, they also have landed their fair share of disappointments in the draft. One of the bigger letdowns in recent team history is former Western Kentucky defensive tackle Brodric Martin, who was drafted 96th overall in 2023.
With a 6-foot-5, 330-pound frame, Lions fans expected Martin to grow into a D-line mainstay. The Tuscaloosa, AL native was a solid run-stopper throughout his time with the Hilltoppers and seemed like a natural fit for the Campbell-led squad. Having said that, he was always viewed as a project, meaning few people expected him to make an immediate impact.
After suiting up only three times as a rookie, optimistic supporters hoped Martin's development would reach the next level in 2024. Unfortunately, injuries plagued him throughout the campaign, limiting the Lions DT to just 25 defensive snaps across two appearances, resulting in one assisted tackle and abysmal 42.5 run stoppage and 37.9 defense grades on Pro Football Focus.
Martin was already on thin ice to begin the offseason, but his outlook became murkier after Lions general manager Brad Holmes called out the struggling defender in March.
"We need to see more of the consistency of the flashes (from Martin)," Holmes told MLive's Benjamin Raven. "We’ve had transparent conversations, and so, he knows that he needs to be a consistent player."
If DL prospects Tyleik Williams and Ahmed Hassanein impress during rookie minicamp, the Lions could be tempted to move on from Martin before summer starts. Cutting the 25-year-old defender before the end of May would create just over $1 million in savings, which the Lions can use on a more consistent contributor.
At the end of the day, Martin's future with the Lions should be much clearer — good or bad — once next week's minicamp ends.
