Packers Sign ‘Beast Mode 2.0’

In three preseason games for the Seahawks, he rushed 24 times for 84 yards, a 3.5-yard average, with one touchdown. That includes seven carries for 24 yards against the Packers in the finale. He failed to make Seattle’s roster and spent a few weeks on its practice squad before he was released.

He’s been biding his time for the past three-plus months. The Packers worked him out on Tuesday.

Martinez played three collegiate seasons and was a model of consistency. At Oregon State, he rushed for 982 yards (6.1 average) in 2022 and 1,185 yards (6.1 average) in 2023. At Miami in 2024, he rushed for 1,002 yards (6.3 average) and caught a career-high 17 passes.

He is a downhill, no-frills running back. According to Pro Football Focus, he ranked third among Power Four schools with 4.5 yards after contact per carry in 2024.

“I think you respect that about him, about guys that can run the ball physically, downhill,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said after the draft. “Had a lot of great guys come through this building that have ran it like that. Just really excited about the guys we have on our roster. Come in and come kick butt with the rest of them. It's going to be a great competition. But we're really excited about him.”

Listed at 6-foot and 232 pounds by Miami, he measured 5-foot-11 5/8 and 217 pounds at the Scouting Combine. He ran his 40-yard dash in 4.51 seconds.

“First and foremost, Martinez is truly a ‘big back’ who proves he can find yards after contact on most carries,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote in his scouting report. He seemed to be one of the best fits in the running back class.

In three seasons, he rushed for 3,169 yards (6.2 average) and 26 touchdowns and added 32 receptions for 391 yards.

“My question is where he’s going to come off the board in a draft so loaded at the running position,” NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah said via The Miami Herald. “You might get value with Damien Martinez in the fourth, fifth round.

“Big back, weighed 217 pounds at the Combine. He played heavier than that in the fall. North and south. He is a no-nonsense, physical back. Not a ton of wiggle. He is going to get the yards that are there and fall forward on every single run. He ran a 4.51 in Indy. That’s surprising. Didn’t know he had that much juice. He runs hard.”

Playing at Miami allowed Martinez to show he was more than a running back. That was his goal at the Senior Bowl, too.

“Just being able to play without the ball, and then, for sure being a better pass protector, pass catcher out of the backfield,” he told The Orlando Sentinel. “Everybody can run the ball, but in today’s league especially to a three-down back, or two-down back, you have to be able to do it all.”

At Lewisville (Texas) High School, he rushed for 4,341 yards and 66 touchdowns. He was an under-the-radar recruit, which left a chip on his shoulder.

“Just taking everything one day at a time,” he said after being drafted. “It's kind of my mentality, taking everything one step at a time. You know, you can go 60 on one run, and then next run could be negative-2. So, it's just kind of my mentality, just taking one thing at a time, and just working hard.”