New York Giants linebacker Blake Martinez played at a Pro Bowl and All-Pro level in 2020, yet he was snubbed for both.
That didn’t sit well with Martinez, who was openly campaigning for both honors last year. So with that added chip on his shoulder, he will head into the 2021 regular-season looking to prove just about everyone wrong.
But Martinez has some believes. Those of us at Giants Wire certainly expect a jump in his level of play, and so do those at Pro Football Focus.
In breaking down potential first-time All-Pros at each position, PFF settled on Martinez at linebacker.
LINEBACKER: BLAKE MARTINEZ, NEW YORK GIANTS
Martinez’s 75.9 PFF grade last season — his first with New York — represented the best mark of his career. That performance was also good enough to make him the fifth-most valuable off-ball linebacker in the NFL, according to PFF’s Wins Above Replacement metric. Martinez had success at various points in the middle of the Green Bay Packers’ defense as both a run defender and a coverage defender, but he rarely succeeded in both areas at the same time.
Part of his inclusion on this list is that the Giants’ defense as a whole could very well be impressive next season under defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. New York boasts one of the deepest secondaries in the league and has several disruptive presences along the defensive line. That could put Martinez in position to accumulate statistics that matter to All-Pro voters.
Martinez certainly agrees.
— Blake Martinez (@Big__Blake50) July 15, 2021
