The New York Giants parted ways with linebacker Blake Martinez late last week in a rather shocking move. It did little to budge the needle financially and no clarity has been offered in the aftermath of that decision.
“All I’ll say is every decision that we make regarding releasing a player is always a difficult decision,” head coach Brian Daboll said this week. “Just like all our guys, I’d say good luck to Blake and the rest of the guys that we released; and we’re looking forward to getting ready on our preparations for Tennessee.”
A day prior to his release, Martinez was among the Giants players who welcomed members of the media back into the locker-room for the first time since 2019. He even joked that his locker looked a bit messy.
Over the summer, Martinez also participated in a number of in-house photo shoots and pre-recorded promotions for game broadcasts. By any measure, he and the team appeared committed to each other.
What changed? No one seems interested in sharing. But multiple reports indicate the divorce came on fast and was a “mutual decision.”
Just got off the phone with LB Blake Martinez, who tells me his release from the #Giants was a “mutual decision” and what “both sides wanted.” Martinez will receive $2M from NYG this season and looks forward to finding a new team soon.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) September 2, 2022
Some have speculated that there may have been a disconnect between Martinez and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale over his role, but Martindale seemed to shut the door on that theory on Wednesday.
“No one said he wasn’t a good fit for our defense,” Martindale told reporters. “I’m just going to go with what Brian said. There’s tough personnel decisions that have to be made when you’re building a roster, and I think he and Joe (Schoen) have done a great job. I’m really excited about the guys we have in the room and wish Blake nothing but the best.”
As of this writing, Martinez has not offered any publicly commentary and has generated no known interest as a free agent.
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