New safety Derrick Martin wants to make good first impression
By Tom Pelissero tpelisse@greenbaypressgazette.com September 6, 2009
Derrick Martin says hes thrilled to have a fresh start with the Green Bay Packers, and as long as hes leaving his past in Baltimore, theres one thing hed like to make clear.
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I never failed a drug test, Martin said Sunday night, shortly after meeting with coaches and taking his physical at Lambeau Field.
I never failed a drug test. One more time I never failed a drug test. One more time
Acquired from the Ravens in a cutdown-day deal for offensive lineman Tony Moll, Martin arrives in Green Bay with a reputation as a tough, versatile defensive back who can play safety, corner and inside in subpackages as well as factor on special teams.
Martin also arrives as the guy who, in the summer of 2008, was arrested at a Cleveland airport security checkpoint with what police said were believed to be three small bags of marijuana in his luggage.
The charges later were dropped, Martin served a one-game suspension, and the NFL released him from the evaluation stage of its substance-abuse program within 90 days.
But the stigma is something Martin, 24, knows he can overcome only by making plays on the field and staying out of trouble off of it.
It was a long weekend; it was some stuff that got caught up in my bag from someone else, Martin said. I never failed a drug test. Not in the drug program or nothing. Hopefully, it helps (people) understand I wasnt using the drugs.
Other than that, it was a bad situation, and I got through it. People that know me know Im a positive guy.
The Packers thought enough of the 5-foot-10, 198-pound Martin to cut Anthony Smith, who had been productive as the teams No. 3 safety in the preseason but lacked Martins versatility. Like Smith, Martin has three seasons of experience in the 3-4 defense, although Martin shifted his primary focus to safety from cornerback only this year.
Hes coming off a rocky 15 months that included the arrest; a torn labrum that required surgery and ended his 2008 season after only four games; and then going untendered as a restricted free agent before re-signing with Baltimore for the veteran minimum.
But Martin says hes healthy, and he was having a strong camp before the trade to the Packers, who play a little more two-deep coverage than the Ravens but otherwise run a similar, multiple-look scheme.
Once Martin gets up to speed on terminology, he seems to have the inside track to be the No. 3 safety and perhaps play as the sixth defensive back in the dime defense as well.
Wherever they can use me, I just want to be a help to the team, Martin said. At the safety, nickel, dime, corner wherever they see fit, Im going to be able to make an impact for them.
General Manager Ted Thompson said the Packers liked Martin since his days at the University of Wyoming, where he started 2 years before declaring early and being selected in the sixth round (208th overall) of the 2006 draft.
Character, Thompson said, was not a major concern.
We were aware of the things that have happened, Thompson said. We checked with Ozzie (Newsome, the Ravens GM), and all the reports there seemed good, so we were reasonably comfortable with that.
Married with a 17-month-old son, Martin pledged to be active in the Green Bay community, pointing to his efforts in Baltimore. In 2007, he created the Derrick Martin Foundation, which aims to help children who are underprivileged and from single-parent homes.
But Martin expects his play on the field to say a lot about him, too, and hes looking forward to the chance to make new first impressions, beginning in practice on Monday morning.
I dont know anybody out here, Martin said. Once I come out on the field, its going to be the first time they see me, and hopefully, they like what they see.
Im going to give em a good show.