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Damien Martinez of the Seattle Seahawks.
The Kansas City Chiefs have had a keen ability to spot and develop undervalued talent, and they have another opportunity to do just that waiting for them in Seattle.
Running back Damien Martinez, a rookie currently sitting on the Seahawks practice squad, is a name to watch in the coming days. He may not be a headline grabber, but the Chiefs already know plenty about him—and that familiarity could come in handy.
“The Chiefs did extensive work on Damien Martinez heading into the draft and he was selected five picks before Brashard Smith,” KC Sports Network’s Kent Swanson wrote on X.
Kansas City had Martinez in for a Top-30 visit during the pre-draft process, and the team left impressed with his skill set and demeanor. He wasn’t a first-round guy, but he’s the type of back who checks a lot of boxes for Brett Veach and Andy Reid: He’s a tough runner, good in pass protection and capable of toting the rock whenever called upon.
Considering the Chiefs’ current needs at running back, they might want to swoop in and steal him while they can.
A Look at What Martinez Did in College
Martinez put together a stellar college career at Oregon State, where he broke out as a true freshman in 2022. He rushed for 982 yards, netting an impressive 6.1 yards per carry.
He followed that up with 1,185 rushing yards and nine touchdowns in 2023, earning first-team All-Pac-12 honors and cementing his status as one of the conference’s premier workhorses. Martinez wasn’t just a straight-line runner, he had the patience and vision to let blocks develop and the toughness to grind out more tough yards after contact.
That production carried over into his final college season in 2024, where he logged another 1,000-plus yards on the ground and showed improvement as a pass-catcher out of the backfield.
Seattle took him in the seventh round despite already having depth at the position, a testament to his upside. While he didn’t crack the Seahawks’ initial 53-man roster, his practice squad stash feels more like a numbers game than a reflection of his talent.
The Chiefs also got a firsthand look at Martinez in preseason action when Kansas City and Seattle squared off in August. Martinez didn’t light up the box score, but he showed flashes of the same physical, downhill style that made him a star at Oregon State.
Damien Martinez came in the game and immediately popped a 19-yard run behind Seattle’s 1st team OL (and fullback Brady Russell). That unit was very locked in. pic.twitter.com/O6WMO5PlVB
https://twitter.com/MikeDugar/status/1956948271752155174?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Why the Kansas City Chiefs Should Sign RB Damien Martinez off Seattle’s Practice Squad
GettyThe Kansas City Chiefs could sign RB Damien Martinez off the Seattle Seahawks practice squad.
Isiah Pacheco is the unquestioned leader of Kansas City’s RBs room, but behind him, there’s room for improvement.
Andy Reid has long valued backs who can contribute in multiple ways, and Martinez showed at Oregon State that he can be more than just a one-note grinder. In Kansas City’s offense, where screens and check-downs often turn into chunk plays, Martinez’s skill set could be maximized in ways it simply won’t be in Seattle.
If Kansas City were to add Martinez, he’d have to be on the active roster for at least three weeks. Beyond that, there’s no commitment financial or otherwise, so poaching him is the definition of a low-risk, high-reward move. At worst, he’d be an extra body who could grind out carries late in games. At best, he could develop into a legitimate contributor in a backfield that could use a little more punch.
Beth Mishler-Elmore Beth Mishler-Elmore is a Heavy sports contributor based in the Midwest, focusing on the NFL, NBA and WNBA. More about Beth Mishler-Elmore
