Ex-MBA star Martin gets his chance to shine

Ingle Martin led the Titans to a game-winning drive vs. the Raiders. Mike Strasinger for The City Paper

Ingle Martin got to play the role of hometown kid made good in Friday night’s 17-16 victory over the Oakland Raiders.

Martin, one of the most heralded Nashville high school football stars in recent times while at Montgomery Bell Academy, rallied the Titans to victory with an 82-yard drive that ended with a game-winning 33-yard field goal from another Nashville area standout, kicker John Vaughn.

“It felt great, and to have a guy like John Vaughn from Brentwood Academy came out here and nailed a kick,” Martin said. “You couldn’t have written it much better than that, and I know the two of us are thrilled to be a part of something like that.”

Martin was 6 of 11 for 103 yards on the night, playing mostly with and against second and third teamers trying to secure an NFL job, but the fact of the matter is, it was his second straight solid preseason outing and he has been fairly consistent in training camp as well.

The big question for Martin is, is that enough? More and more, the trend around the NFL at the quarterback spot is to keep two on the active roster and stash a third on the practice squad to keep an extra special teams player or long-term project player on the 53-man roster.

Vince Young and Kerry Collins are locked into the top two spots on the depth chart at quarterback, leaving Martin fighting an uphill battle, though he still has practice squad eligibility left if he were to not make the roster but clear waivers after final cuts.

Martin takes the challenge with a certain dose of reality.

“I don’t know if there’s anything I need to show them in particular,” he said. “The bottom line is, you’ve got to be in the top 53. The teams have to feel like the third quarterback is in their top 53. Spots these days with the roster being so small are so valuable that [they often put] an extra receiver or extra linebacker on there.”

Titans coach Jeff Fisher acknowledges that losing players to waiver claims is a possibility and perhaps a difficult reality of trimming the roster.

“There’s always that concern, at any position, that if a player plays well at his position in the preseason and doesn’t make your 53-man roster, there’s always the possibility that he will be claimed,” Fisher said.

With that in mind, Martin could well be auditioning for the other 31 teams as well as the Titans with his play in preseason. That is how he came to the Titans, as they added him to the practice squad after he was waived by Green Bay in camp last year. Martin was a fifth-round pick of the Packers in 2006.

“It’s good anytime you can do something on film that other teams look at and say ‘This guy could help us out somewhere down the road,’” Martin said. “For people that are on the bubble, every time you get a chance, you’ve got to take advantage of it, and this being my third training camp and third preseason, it’s the most comfortable I’ve been since I’ve come out of college.”

Martin credits quarterbacks coach Craig Johnson and offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger with helping him find a comfort zone in the offense.

“With coach Johnson and coach Heimerdinger and their coaching, this is the most comfortable I’ve felt, and it’s an important time when you get those chances to get on film,” Martin said. “Mainly, I’m wanting to show the guys here that I can help out, and if not, we’ll see what happens.”

The patron saint for quarterbacks in Martin’s situation might be Cleveland’s Derek Anderson, a waiver pickup himself from Baltimore who blossomed last year into a potential star.

In 2005, Anderson split time with the Ravens and Cleveland Browns and didn’t get in a game. In 2006, Anderson made five appearances and three starts for the Browns and in 2007, Anderson blossomed. Last season, Anderson threw for 29 touchdowns for Cleveland.

Martin actually knows Anderson a bit from their days in a high school football camp together.

“He and I were at the Elite 11 camp my senior year of high school together, and he came out a year before me and was drafted by Baltimore, gets cut and picked up by Cleveland, just kind of as a potential guy, and gets a shot and he’s made the most of it,” Martin said. “Bottom line is when you get those chances to get on film, you take advantage of it. You show your coaches and your teammates that you’re capable of handling the load whenever that load is put on your shoulders.”

INJURY UPDATE: Tight end Dwayne Blakley (groin), linebacker David Thornton (ribs), defensive end Jacob Ford (hamstring) and receiver Roydell Willams (ankle) all returned to the practice field Sunday after missing Friday’s game with injuries.

Several other players remain out, including linebacker Keith Bulluck (calf), kicker Rob Bironas (groin), cornerback Nick Harper (concussion), cornerback Cary Williams (quadriceps), linebacker Kurt Campbell (ribs), receiver Lavelle Hawkins (ankle) and cornerback Chris Carr (shoulder).

Tackle David Stewart remains out after knee surgery and tight end Alge Crumpler was given a day off to rest.

Fisher indicated that those who returned should play Friday night against the Falcons, while Hawkins, Cary Williams and perhaps Keith Bulluck would be held out of this week’s game in Atlanta.