*whew*

I was really almost sure that he was gone.

***

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/bucs/bucs-sign-doug-martin-to-5-year-35-million-deal/2268612

Doug Martin got his big pay day and the Bucs will keep their franchise running back.

After a long negotiation described by some as tenuous, the Bucs signed Martin to a five-year, $35 million contact.

Martin, 27, who lost the rushing title to the Vikings Adrian Peterson last season, is coming off a spectacular All Pro year in which he gained 1,402 yards on the ground and scored six touchdowns.

It’s the second time in four seasons Martin has eclipsed the 1,400-yard rushing mark, which he achieved as a rookie. But the Bucs failed to pick up his fifth-year option for $5.9 million in 2015 because of back-to-back injury-plagued years in which he combined to play in only 16 games.

Bucs general manager Jason Licht and Martin’s agent, Brian Murphy met two weeks ago at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis. Licht had said there were some ‘obstacles,’ to overcome but both sides were eager to strike a deal for Martin to remain in Tampa Bay.

But the two sides struggled to reach a breakthrough in negotiations. On Tuesday night, the leverage shifted to Martin among reports that Dolphins free agent running back Lamar Miller was close to agreeing to a contract with the Houston Texans worth $6.5 million. Then the Jets Chris Ivory struck an accord with the Jaguars for just more than $6 million per year.

That didn’t help the Bucs, who knew they were bidding against several other teams for Martin and likely paid more than expected for a running back who missed the bulk of two seasons with injuries.