Brodric Martin didn’t play much as a rookie in 2023. Despite being a third-round pick by the Lions out of Western Kentucky, Martin was a healthy scratch for far more games than he played, even though Detroit’s defensive line lacked depth and oomph.
That should change in 2024 thanks to a changed Martin. He’s visibly quite slimmer in the neck, shoulders and chest, looking more like an NFL athlete than just a very large human being.
After Thursday’s OTA session in Detroit, Martin talked to the media about the changes and progress he’s made after his rookie campaign.
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“What I did was lose some fat and gain back some of that muscle,” Martin summarized, noting he paid more attention to his diet.
Yet the biggest progress Martin acknowledges making is in his mindset.
“In my mind I wanted to play but I wasn’t ready,” a candid Martin admitted. “I feel a lot more ready now.”
In a later question, Martin was asked where his game has improved the most.
“I’d say the most is probably my mind,” Martin said pensively. “It’s all slowed down for me a lot more. I understand the game a lot more.”
Martin factors prominently into a defensive line rotation behind starters Alim McNeill and newcomer D.J. Reader, who has quickly made quite a professional impression on Martin. He noted that Reader offered him unsolicited tips after taking it upon himself to watch all of Martin’s film on his own.