General manager Adam Peters made sweeping changes to the Washington Commanders' edge-rushing options this offseason. The progress has been solid if unspectacular, but letting Jacob Martin leave in free agency is starting to look like a grave error in judgment.
Martin signed a one-year deal with the Commanders last year. He was seen as a rotational piece who could make an impression in obvious pass-rushing situations. Unfortunately, injuries that decimated the squad forced him to do much more than originally anticipated.
With more responsibilities on his shoulders, Martin played well. He generated pressure consistently, and while he isn't the most explosive, his sound technique and exceptional work ethic caused problems for opposing offensive lines.
Jacob Martin is making the Commanders regret letting hiim walk
Keeping Martin around would have been straightforward for the Commanders when the free-agent frenzy commenced. Instead, Peters let him walk and turned his attention elsewhere during another roster revamp.
Though disappointing for the player, he put out enough good film to earn another opportunity elsewhere. And that arrived relatively quickly.
The Tennessee Titans signed Martin to a two-year, $9 million contract with a $2 million signing bonus and $4.5 million guaranteed. Head coach Robert Saleh is using him in the role Washington wanted, and the player is delivering the goods.
From a pure pass-rushing perspective, Martin is among the league's most prolific options right now. He's already got seven sacks and 29 pressures, displaying the confidence and violence the AFC South club desperately needed on the rotation.
And for the money they signed him for, it's already a steal of epic proportions.
The Commanders moved on. It happens.
But if Peters had shown a little more faith in Martin, he would have been rewarded.
Commanders have improved on the edge, but Jacob Martin would have helped
Martin isn't great against the run, but that's moot. The Titans are playing to his strengths, giving him the freedom to get after the quarterback from 59 percent of the team's defensive snaps.
He's enjoying a new lease of life, despite the Titans being among the NFL's bottom feeders once again. And even though the Commanders' edge room has improved, Martin's presence would have helped enormously.
The Commanders spent lavish sums to get Odafe Oweh into the building, and he's done relatively well without quite living up to the $96 million price tag as yet. K'Lavon Chaisson signed a one-year deal and could be in line for another big financial commitment. Dorance Armstrong Jr. is working his way back slowly, and rookie fifth-round pick Joshua Josephs has flashed promise.
Even so, Martin's exceptional form this season would have been an asset to Daronte Jones' defense. His production last season also warranted another look, but it wasn't to be.
Peters can't do anything about it now. He didn't want to pay Martin a reasonable amount, but it wasn't exactly earth-shattering. The player is proving him wrong, standing out on a struggling team going nowhere fast.
That's just how it goes sometimes.
Martin is enjoying a career renaissance. The signs were there last season in Washington, and he's taken things up another notch this time around.
Unfortunately, the Commanders are not benefiting from it. And of all the changes Peters made this offseason, this one is starting to sting more than most.
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