Dallas Cowboys offensive linemen Zack Martin is one of the NFL Top 100 players in 2023 as a perennial All-Pro selection. However, Martin is reportedly considering a holdout in training camp over issues related to his contract.
Martin, age 32, has been one of the best players in the league since he was drafted 16th overall by Dallas in the 2014 NFL Draft. A member of the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team, Martin has earned eight Pro Bowl selections and eight All-Pro nominations in his NFL career.
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Despite being one of the best players at his position for nearly a decade, Martin trails his peers in salary considerably. Among the highest-paid NFL players in 2023, Martin ranks ninth among guards in average annual salary ($14 million).
It’s the result of the Cowboys’ approach to contracts and the nature of long-term deals. Dallas made Martin the highest-paid guard in NFL history in 2018, signing him to a six-year deal worth $84 million including $40 million guaranteed. Since then, the salary cap has exploded.
Martin is now considering a holdout from training camp. Under NFL rules, he would be automatically fined $50,000 for each day missed as a player under contract. However, he is reportedly willing to do that in order to try and land a new extension.
- Zack Martin contract: $11.04M cap hit (2023), $13 million salary and $23.34M cap hit (2024)
As reports emerged of Martin considering a holdout, the Cowboys’ offensive lineman changed his Twitter profile picture to reflect his Madden 24 rating. He’s the only interior lineman included in the 99 Club, providing him with some proof he deserves to be the highest-paid guard.
As highlighted by Jori Epstein of Yahoo Sports, Martin also has another element of leverage with Dallas in negotiations. When head coach Mike McCarthy spoke at length this offseason about the importance of the Cowboys’ offensive line dictating their passing game’s stability, it highlighted Martin’s value to this team.
The timing is an issue for Dallas. Trevon Diggs and Micah Parsons are two foundational pieces for the Cowboys’ defense and both will need to become two of the highest-paid players at their respective positions. Plus, with a planned contract extension for CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott, Dallas finds itself in a difficult position heading into the summer regarding its future.
