'Just Ball': Brodric Martin Not Concerned about Roster Spot

Detroit Lions defensive tackle Brodric Martin has every reason to feel pressure about his roster spot entering the 2025 season. 

A 2023 third-round pick, Martin has appeared in only five regular season games during his first two years in the NFL, and his on-field role has been limited. Yet, the 6-foot-5, 330-pound lineman is taking a calm, almost carefree approach to the situation.

“I’m not worried about that, man,” Martin said when asked about potentially securing a spot on Detroit’s 53-man roster. “If it happens, God made it happen, and if it don’t happen, God made that happen, too. I’m just going to go out there and have fun. I’m not going to worry about (repping with) two’s, three’s, none of that s**t. Just ball.”

Martin’s NFL journey has been uneven so far. A hyperextended knee suffered in last year’s preseason finale sidelined him for the first 11 weeks of the 2024 campaign. He didn’t make his season debut until the Lions’ Thanksgiving Day contest with the Chicago Bears in Week 13, during which he logged just two defensive snaps. The following week, he got his lone start of the year against Green Bay, playing 23 snaps in place of injured veterans DJ Reader and Levi Onwuzurike. However, that momentum quickly stalled, and he was a healthy scratch for Detroit’s final four regular season games.

Still, Martin is approaching training camp with a fresh mindset, bolstered by changes in his preparation and in the Lions’ defensive philosophy. Working under defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers, Martin feels freer to play to his strengths. 

“It’s fun. He definitely has freed me up a lot more. I’m able to do a lot more and play more how I would like to play,” Martin explained.

Martin has also taken advantage of the opportunity to learn from veterans like Reader and Roy Lopez. Reader, a 10th-year pro, will enter his second season with the Lions in 2025. Meanwhile, Lopez, a free-agent acquisition of the organization this offseason, played the last two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. 

“It’s good to have him (Reader), good to learn from him, him and Roy (Lopez),” Martin expressed. “They share their knowledge with me, and it’s just good to have them and watch them.”

Additionally, Martin entered camp this summer in better physical shape after slimming down in the offseason. One of the noticeable changes has been his increased mobility. 

“I can move a lot better,” he said. “I ain’t just stuck in the ground, how it used to be… slimming down was probably the best bet for me, the best thing I could do.”

For now, Martin’s focus isn’t on roster math or depth charts. Instead, it’s on putting his best foot forward and letting the rest take care of itself – trusting that if he “just balls,” everything else will fall into place.