The New York Giants have waived running back Robert Martin.
The #NYGiants have waived RB Robert Martin. pic.twitter.com/MKcy0FJryf
— New York Giants (@Giants) May 9, 2019
Martin was signed by the Giants as an undrafted free agent after last year’s rookie mini-camp. He impressed enough through training camp and the pre-season to survive the final cutdown and make the 53-man roster. Martin wasn’t on the Giants’ roster for long, as he was waived on Sept. 5 to make room for linebacker Nate Stupar.
He was quickly re-signed to the practice squad and the Giants signed him to a reserve/futures contract after the 2018 season.
The Giants signed former Dallas Cowboys’ running back Rod Smith earlier this week, and the move regarding Martin could be seen as a result of that signing.
It is somewhat interesting that 2016 draftee Paul Perkins has so far been retained. Perkins brings a very different style of running from that of Wayne Gallman, Rod Smith, or Martin. He also produced when given the chance his rookie year, averaging 4.1 yards per carry. He got 11 or more carries in each of the Giants’ final four games that season.
With Saquon Barkley now becoming the focus of the Giants’ offense, and likely receiving the vast majority of the running back snaps and touches, the camp battle to back him up could be a fierce one.