The agent for free agent running back Doug Martin met with the Bucs at the NFL scouting combine Wednesday, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Stroud describes Bucs general manager Jason Licht's meeting with agent Brian Murphy as a fairly preliminary step in the process of Tampa fulfilling one of its stated offseason priorities. No deal will be consumated during the Combine, but Licht described himself as "optimistic" that an agreement could eventually be struck. "I know he wants to be a Buc and I know we want him to be a Buc," Licht said. "I'm sure there will be some obstacles--there always are in negotiations--but we'll prepare for either way." Martin, who rushed for 1,402 yards and six touchdowns in a resurgent 2015 campaign, became a free agent when Tampa opted not to pick up his $5.6 million option for 2016.