Mike Garafolo of NFL Media mentions that while Packers ILB Blake Martinez is about to get paid “a ton of money” this offseason, he’s not so sure it’s going to be from Green Bay.
Garafolo mentions that the inside linebacker market has “exploded” in recent years with the recent contracts signed by C.J. Mosley and Bobby Wagner.
Martinez has been tackling machine for the Packers, but Garaolo says that extension talks between the two parties “went nowhere” before the start of the 2020 season. While Martinez did set a career-high in tackles this past season, Garafolo believes he may have played his final game for the Packers.
This comes after Packers GM Brian Gutekunst told reporters on Friday that they will “take a long look at the inside linebacker” this offseason.
“I think obviously Blake Martinez (contract) is up and I think we’re gonna have to take a long look at the inside linebacker thing, make sure we’re squared away there,” Gutekunst said, per Matt Schneidman.
Martinez, 26, is a former fourth-round pick of the Packers back in 2016. He has played out the final year of his four-year, $2.7 million rookie contract and is now in position to be an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his NFL career.
In 2019, Martinez appeared in all 16 games for the Packers and recorded 155 tackles, three sacks, an interception, a forced fumble, and two passes defended. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 53 linebacker out of 88 qualifying players.
We have him included in our Top 100 – 2020 Free Agents list.
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