Adrian

Martinez

Martinez already spent time on both the Jets and 49ers’ rosters this year. Jets QB Tyrod Taylor (groin) and QB Justin Fields (knee) were unable to practice on Wednesday. Martinez’s return provides the team with a backup option behind QB Brady Cook for the Jets’ Week 15 game against the Jaguars.

This means Brock Purdy will be inactive, as expected. Kyle Shanahan put on a brave face and floated the idea of Purdy being the backup earlier this week, but that was a lie even Shanny himself couldn’t believe. Purdy will stay on the bench for another week as he nurses toe and shoulder injuries. He is reportedly eying a Week 4 return.

The 49ers bolster their wide receiver depth with availability concerns swirling around Brandon Aiyuk (knee), Jauan Jennings (calf, contract) and Demarcus Robinson (suspension). Gage should not be expected to return flex value in Week 1. The 49ers also released S Richie Grant, while QB Adrian Martinez, RB Sincere McCormick and WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling were signed to the practice squad.

Martinez is a practice squad candidate, but the Jets may choose to go with Brady Cook as the third quarterback behind Josh Fields and Tyrod Taylor. New York also waived LB Jamin Davis, DE Michael Fletcher, T Liam Forandel, T Samuel Jackson, TE Zach Kuntz, DB Tanner McCalister and RB Lawrance Toafili.

A former four-year starter at Nebraska, Martinez (6’2/221) transferred to Kansas State for his final season and turned in a solid 2022 campaign for the Wildcats. Martinez’s athleticism (9.46 RAS) jumps off the tape and is undeniably the best part of his game. With 2,928 rushing yards and 45 touchdowns for his career, Martinez’s pro day 40-time of 4.55 all but confirmed the speed and athleticism we’ve witnessed over the last several years. His athleticism allows him to make plays off script and evade pursuing tacklers to extend plays, but his already inconsistent accuracy falls apart on the run. If the quarterback thing doesn’t work out for Martinez, a switch to receiver could extend his stay in the NFL. An exciting player with the ball in his hands whose size would complement such a switch, Martinez is the kind of athlete teams should want to develop.

Martinez (6-foot-2, 212-pounds) missed all of spring practice after undergoing surgery on his throwing shoulder, so it’s great to see him out there throwing passes in drills as summer camp opened. The all-time Nebraska leader in total offense has accrued 10,792 total yards over his four-year career. When asked about how Martinez is looking, HC Chris Klieman said “[He’s] been really sharp. He’s done a nice job, he continues to learn what we’re doing. He’s continuing to absorb more and more of the playbook and feeling more and more comfortable with the offensive scheme. We’re seeing some really, really good things throwing the ball, running the ball and getting us in the right play.” Martinez is on track to start in KSU’s season opener against South Dakota.

After a 3-9 season with the Huskers, there are a number of reasons why Martinez (6'2"/212) might have wanted to move on. The biggest one for him: winning. “The narratives I’m fighting against, well, I haven’t been to a bowl game and I haven’t had a winning season,” Martinez spoke candidly. “I play quarterback and often times you get associated with those kinds of things and I want to win.” Outside of a couple of seasons in the 2000’s, that’s been par for the course in Lincoln and Martinez experienced that for four seasons. He projects to be the starter in Manhattan, where the Wildcats have had a winning record in 10 of the last 13 seasons.

Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman announced Martinez (6'2"/212) will not be throwing in spring practice as he recovers from off-season shoulder surgery. He said his quarterback will participate in other parts of practice, including footwork drills and mental reps, but throwing is off-limits until May. After four years at Nebraska, Martinez became one of the big-name QBs that entered the transfer portal and will enter his first season at K-State. If there are no setbacks, he should be the starter in September.

Martinez (6'2"/212) had shoulder surgery back in November and it looks like he’ll be to begin throwing for spring practice. Towards the end of last season, something wasn’t right as his accuracy became an issue, and that shoulder injury could have been the problem. He is entering his first season with the Wildcats after transferring from Nebraska. Barring any major setbacks, he should be locked in as the starting quarterback for K-State.

Martinez (6'2"/212) will remain in the Big 12 as he’ll play for rival K-State. Martinez had been solid for the Cornhuskers in his three seasons, but the program has not had much success, and that continued that by going 3-9 this season. Martinez injured his shoulder in the first half against Wisconsin, he finished the game and later that week had season-ending surgery. Skylar Thompson had been the starter for the Wildcats, but we could very well see Martinez take the job in the spring and summertime.