Zack Martin May Sit Out, Reportedly Feels ‘Woefully Underpaid’ By Cowboys

A recent report suggests that Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Zack Martin could skip training camp due to a dispute over his contract dispute with the team. Martin, an eight-time Pro Bowler, still has two years remaining on the six-year, $84 million contract he signed before the 2018 season.

“Cowboys’ six-time All-Pro guard and team captain Zack Martin is considering not reporting to training camp due to his unhappiness with his contract and the team’s lack of interest in restructuring it, per sources,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Twitter. “Martin believes he is ‘woefully underpaid relative to the market.'”

Schefter also reported that Martin will make nearly $7 million less than the highest-paid offensive guards in the league, among them the Falcons’ Chris Lindstrom and Colts’ Quenton Nelson. Martin ranks ninth in average yearly salary at his position despite consistently ranking at or near the top in on-field value. He recently became the first guard since 2003 to receive a 99 rating in the Madden video game franchise ahead of the 2023 season.

In the NFL, holdouts are mostly reserved for star position players, as can be seen elsewhere in the NFC East as Giants running back Saquon Barkley considers his own contract. But despite a lack of glamor at the guard position, if Martin were to hold out for more money, it could have a significant impact on the Cowboys’ offense. The team has consistently had one of the best offensive lines in football for many years, and Martin has been a key part of that.

Before arriving in Dallas as the 16th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, Martin played four years at the University of Notre Dame. He was named to the NFL’s 2010s All-Decade Team and has been named to the All-Pro team in each of his eight seasons except 2020, which he missed part of due to a calf strain.