Another name has been added to the list of offensive coordinator candidates in Indianapolis. The Colts have requested an interview with Ravens wide receivers coach Tee Martin, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler tweets.
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For Martin, the 2022 campaign represented only his second season as an NFL staffer; he held the same title as he did the previous year, also spent in Baltimore. Prior to his Ravens hire, though, the 44-year-old enjoyed a highly-regarded college career. Martin’s time working with receivers at Kentucky, USC and Tennessee put him squarely on the NFL radar, and his hire was seen as a positive one for the Ravens’ positional group.
Production in the passing game has long been a talking point for Baltimore, particularly in the Lamar Jackson era with now-ex offensive coordinator Greg Roman at the helm for their offense. Tight end Mark Andrews has firmly entrenched himself as one of the league’s best at his position, earning three Pro Bowl nods and comfortably leading the team in receiving yards in 2022. Production on the perimeter, however, was once again lacking.
The Ravens lost their top two wideouts (Rashod Bateman and Devin Duvernay) to mid-season injuries, limiting their success in the passing game. Still, the fact that veteran Demarcus Robinson paced the team’s WRs with 458 yards underscores how much they struggled on offense down the stretch (a period in which Jackson was also injured, in fairness). Last season, Martin helped Marquise Brown record his only 1,000-yard campaign to date, prior to his trade to the Cardinals.
Last offseason, Martin was in the running for the Bills’ OC vacancy created by the departure of Brian Daboll. As a result, this isn’t the first interest being shown to him for a coordinator opportunity. His lack of experience in the NFL – and of guiding a team’s offense at the pro level – would be striking, given the Colts’ hiring of a rookie bench boss in Shane Steichen. Indianapolis’ only other reported candidate is Jim Bob Cooter, who by contrast has three-plus years of OC experience.
If Martin were to land the position, he would inherit a team with few known commodities at receiver aside from Michael Pittman Jr. The former second-rounder led the Colts with 925 yards, but an increase in overall production from the unit will be a top priority for Steichen’s staff in 2023. Given Martin’s background, he could be help in that regard.