Martin set a Lions record with a 44.2-yard net punting average last season

Dave Birkett | Detroit Free Press

Duane Burleson, Associated Press

The Detroit Lions were unusually transparent, at least by their standards, when it came to Sam Martin's ankle injury this summer.

When the team placed Martin on the non-football injury list at the start of camp, it said in a release that Martin "will miss time during the preseason" because of his injury.

Time Martin has missed, and as the Lions get ready for Friday's third preseason game against the New England Patriots, there's been no clear indication of when he'll be back on the field.

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"He’s still alive," Lions coach Jim Caldwell said today. "He hasn’t disappeared off the face of the Earth. We see him, but yeah, he’s doing good."

Kasey Redfern has filled in ably for Martin this preseason, netting 43.2 yards per punt, and Caldwell said today that Redfern has done well enough that he should be on an NFL roster somewhere this year.

But Martin, who signed a four-year contract contract extension last summer, is one of the best punters in the game. Last year, Martin set a franchise record for net punting (44.2) and was named a Pro Bowl alternate in the NFC.

Martin has not been spotted at any of the Lions' 16 practices so far this summer - they practice for the 17th time today - and he was not available during open locker room periods this week.

Still, with the Lions a little over two weeks away from their Sept. 10 opener against the Arizona Cardinals, Caldwell left the door open for Martin's return.

"He’s coming along, making progress and we’ll see what the doctors say with him," Caldwell said. "But he’s been doing well."

Contact Dave Birkett: dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.