Las Vegas Raiders sign LB Blake Martinez to 53-man roster
Announced on Friday, the Las Vegas Raiders sign LB Blake Martinez from the practice squad to the active roster. The linebacker joins the Silver and Black after playing with the New York Giants for the past two seasons from 2020 to 2021,
Losing linebacker Denzel Perryman to a concussion in Week 4 was a tough loss. The Las Vegas Raiders needed to acquire an experienced linebacker presence as they get ready to face off against the Kansas City Chiefs. According to Jordan Schultz of The Score, the Raiders sign LB Blake Martinez to a one-year contract.
Martinez’s contract was adjusted by the Giants this summer, but they chose to release him prior to Week 1. The former Giants linebacker was injured and sidelined for the majority of the 2021 season, but he’s still one of the league’s most dependable tacklers.
Martinez began his NFL career in 2016 with the Green Bay Packers and has already started in 76 NFL games. He has made 680 tackles in the league over the course of his career, along with 39 tackles for loss and 13 sacks. His 680 tackles ranks at fourth most amongst all defensive players since 2016.
The Tucson, Arizona-native, played college football for Stanford from 2012 to 2015, contributing to the Cardinal’s four-consecutive bowl trips and three Pac-12 championships. He received third-team All-America and first-team Pac-12 honors from the Associated Press in 2015 as a senior.
As the Las Vegas Raiders sign LB Blake Martinez, he will get to reunite and catch up with Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, who he played under at New York. While he may not play in Week 5 against the Chiefs, Martinez’s presence in the long run is a huge plus for the Silver and Black.