Zack Martin is the best guard in football but isn’t paid like it. That dichotomy could lead to a standoff between the All-Pro guard and the Dallas Cowboys.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Martin “is considering not reporting to training camp” because he believes he is “woefully underpaid relative to the market.”
He’s not wrong.
The news came moments after Martin was named a member of the 99 Club in “Madden NFL 24.”
ESPN recently ranked Martin as the No. 1 interior offensive lineman in the NFL. Pro Football Focus gave him the lowest grade of his career last season but still credited him with zero sacks allowed in 593 opportunities.
Even with a mountain of data to suggest Martin should be the league’s highest-paid guard, his salary sits well below market value. His contract’s average annual value (AAV) ($14M) ranks seventh among guards.
Since signing his six-year, $84M contract in 2018, guards Quenton Nelson and Chris Lindstrom reset the market the past two seasons. Nelson signed a four-year, $80M contract ($20M AAV) in 2022 and Lindstrom agreed to a five-year, $105M contract ($21M AAV) this offseason.
The Cowboys lucked out by signing Martin to a long-term deal before the market ballooned but they’re seemingly out of good fortune.
Schefter also notes Dallas is attempting to negotiate extensions with other stars including wideout CeeDee Lamb and corner Trevon Diggs. At the same time, owner Jerry Jones has also discussed a Dak Prescott restructure.
The Cowboys have plenty of fires to put out before training camp even begins. They have the sixth-best odds of winning the Super Bowl (+1600) and if Philadelphia and San Francisco stumble, Dallas should be next in line to take the NFC. But first, the Cowboys must prove they can get out of their own way.
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