Brodric Martin barely played for the Detroit Lions as a rookie. To what degree that changes in 2024 is anyone’s guess.

Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said last week it’s too early to say if Martin, a third-round pick last spring, will factor more heavily into the defensive tackle rotation this fall.

Martin appeared in three games and played 28 defensive snaps for the Lions last season. He finished the season with three tackles and sat out the final six games – including all three playoff games – as a healthy scratch.

“Listen, I know there’s going to be a lot of questions and a lot of guys asking, ‘Well, has he improved?’” Glenn said. “Well, we don’t have pads on. So, when you’re in your underwear, it’s not telling anybody anything.”

The Lions considered Martin a developmental prospect when they traded up to take him with the 96th pick of last year’s draft.

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At 6 feet 5 and 330 pounds, Martin struggled at times with his pad level and hand technique, but he said late in the year he felt significantly improved from practicing daily against the Lions’ veteran offensive line.

Glenn said Martin “adjusted his body to be an NFL defensive lineman” this offseason, but stopped short of saying he’ll contribute as the backup nose tackle.

The Lions signed D.J. Reader in free agency to start next to Alim McNeill, return Levi Onwuzurike at defensive tackle and have position flexibility up front with John Cominsky, Josh Paschal and rookie sixth-round pick Mekhi Wingo. Veteran nose tackle Kyle Peko also will compete for a spot in the defensive line rotation.

“The thing that we do know is the mentality is there, so since the mentality is there, now let’s see if that’s going to actually happen when training camp comes,” Glenn said. “So you guys see exactly, or you guys will hear exactly what you need to hear once the pads come on.”

Lions coach Dan Campbell said Martin should benefit from the addition of new defensive line coach Terrell Williams, considered one of the best teachers of defensive line technique in the NFL.

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“Look, he’s improving, and there again, it’s hard to say without pads on,” Campbell said. “But I can tell you this: Terrell, who, I’ve got a lot of confidence in Terrell Williams, man, as our D-Line coach. I think he really is, I think he’s the best D-line coach in this league. And if he’s not, you can argue what place he is. He’s been working with him, a ton of one-on-one, individual. And, look, the kid wants it, he’s working, and he’s improving. And we’ll just, he’s another guy, we’ve just got to get him reps and training camp’s going to be pivotal for him with the pads on.”

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on X and Instagram at @davebirkett.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions NT Brodric Martin headed for 'pivotal' training camp