Second-year linebacker Nick Martin can't feel too good about his roster chances with the San Francisco 49ers entering year two.
A full year removed from being the Niners' Round 3 pickup from the 2025 NFL Draft, the former Oklahoma State tackling machine saw his stock value drop considerably during training camp and into the preseason, made that much worse by suffering a concussion that effectively ended his rookie campaign after just seven games.
And that was all before San Francisco made several significant changes at linebacker, nearly all of which will impact Martin's value this summer.
True, the 49ers traded away fellow backer Dee Winters last April, but that move was offset by the reunification with Dre Greenlaw, meaning the top-two tandem of Greenlaw and All-Pro Fred Warner is effectively set. Meanwhile, retaining Luke Gifford cuts off another spot on the depth chart Martin otherwise would've hoped to seize.
With training camp looming, Martin is running out of chances to show the Niners he belongs.
And it'll be up to him whether or not that tenure comes to a premature end.
Nick Martin will be under the microscope at 49ers training camp
Sure, Martin missed most of his senior year in college because of injuries, and it's fair to place some of the blame for the linebacker's rookie-year blues upon that setback. Likewise, San Francisco will have to exercise at least some patience in the wake of last year's concussion.
However, the 49ers grabbing linebacker Jaden Dugger early on day three of the 2026 draft is a pretty good indicator they're not going to wait long on Martin.
Dugger, essentially hand-picked by linebackers coach K.J. Wright, also fits in the mold of what first-year defensive coordinator Raheem Morris wants to do with his scheme. Martin, meanwhile, is someone Morris inherited.
A battle between these two backers will be one to watch in training camp. Can Martin's aggressive tendencies be honed in to great effect, or will the better-coverage Dugger win out?
If the latter happens, there likely won't be too much room at all for Martin on the Niners roster, meaning it wouldn't be a surprise if he ended up being one and done with the team that drafted him.
It'd be an unfortunate development, sure, meaning those crucial weeks at the end of July and into August are vital for the third-round draftee to save his San Francisco career.
Add us as a preferred source on Google