Zack Martin Goes From Sitting Out To Being Back In Cowboys Fold After Contract Adjustment
A contract holdout is never a decision an NFL player can take lightly so when Cowboys guard Zack Martin started his holdout with two full seasons remaining on his contract, well, that raised some eyebrows.
But Martin and Dallas just reached a deal that ends the holdout and returns the anchor to the Cowboys' offensive line.
Marin confirmed his new deal on X. (Twitter, whatever, you guys understand).
Martin and the Cowboys agreed to a contract "adjustment" per one source. It effectively adds approximately $8 million to his contract over the final two years of his deal, the source confirmed. Assuming Martin makes that entire sum, it raises his annual average to over $18 million per season.
NFL Media was first to report the new deal.
Dallas Cowboys guard Zack Martin (70) runs off the field during the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Indianapolis Colts on December 4, 2022 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, TX. (Photo by George Walker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Zach Martin Thought Cowboys Were Underpaying
It's an adjustment that makes Martin the third-highest paid guard in the NFL. Martin will slot in behind Falcons guard Chris Lindstrom and Colts guard Quenton Nelson.
So why is this a win for Martin?
He was the eighth-highest paid guard in the NFL when he decided to hold out. And anyone with eyes understood that was probably a bargain for the Cowboys because Martin is better than the eighth-best guard in the NFL.
The Cowboys, of course, didn't want this to happen at first because they signed Martin in 2018 to a six-year extension that made him the highest-paid linemen in the league. Owner Jerry Jones has talked about how players should be expected to honor their contract and the team has other talented players it must pay.
The club already paid cornerback Trevon Diggs a $97 million extension and must eventually pay linebacker Micah Parson what is likely to be an enormous contract extension.
Owner Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys looks on during pregame for a preseason game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field At Mile High on August 13, 2022 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images)
Cowboys Recognizes Martin Value
But one surmises that today both sides agreed that stuff has happened since 2018 that changed the dynamics of Martin's pay scale.
Lindstrom, for example, re-signed with the Atlanta Falcons in the offseason and that deal averages $20.5 million per season. Lindstrom is very good. But so is Martin. It's neck and neck.
Except Lindstrom's new deal averaged $6.5 million more per year than Martin's.
Now the gap is tighter although Lindstrom still makes more. But that's apparently the compromise for Martin.
And he will be reporting to camp soon.