The Dallas Cowboys have been adamant about getting three contract extensions done this offseason: CeeDee Lamb, Trevon Diggs and Terence Steele. Whether all three get signed remains to be seen, but the general consensus is that Lamb, Diggs and Steele would take precedence over other potential deals.
That strategy might change quickly, however, as ESPN's Adam Schefter stunned everyone Wednesday morning when he reported that Zack Martin is considering holding out of training camp due to frustration over his contract.
Schefter shared -- presumably from Martin's camp -- that the All-Pro right guard believes he's "woefully underpaid relative to the market." In fact, Martin will make close to $7 million less than the game's highest-paid interior linemen.
The Cowboys need to get this sorted as soon as possible.
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. Martin believes he is “woefully underpaid relative to the market.”… pic.twitter.com/mKV2W9hPPZ
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 19, 2023
Cowboys' Zack Martin considering not report training camp over contract dispute
This news comes sheer minutes after Martin made history as the first offensive guard in Madden's elusive 99 Club in 21 years. Cowboys legend Larry Allen was the last guard to achieve the honor back in 2003.
It's unclear if Martin wants an entirely new deal or more guaranteed money spanning the final two years of his contract. In June of 2018, Dallas made Martin the highest-paid guard in the NFL with a six-year $84 million contract extension.
Martin's $14 million annual salary currently ranks eighth among guards. The Falcons' Chris Lindstrom ($20.5 million AAV) and the Colts' Quenton Nelson ($20 million AAV) are the only guards with an AAV north of $20 million, while the Packers Elgton Jenkins is third in the pecking order at $17 million annually.
The Cowboys restructured the contracts of Martin and Dak Prescott to create $30 million in cap space this offseason. It's anyone's guess how disgruntled the eight-time Pro Bowler is but he tweeted about making Madden's 99 club shortly after Schefter's report set Cowboys Twitter ablaze.
#NewProfilePic pic.twitter.com/zZBmRMyhod
— Zack Martin (@thegob70) July 19, 2023
It doesn't seem like Martin is too unhappy ... right? Who knows.
Whatever the case, Martin is under contract for two more seasons and will make $13.5 million this year and $14 million next season. You can never rule out a possible new extension, but more guaranteed money should do the trick.
It's the least Martin deserves.
He's played 137 of a possible 146 games in his career and has made eight All-Pros -- including six first-team nods, in nine seasons. He's the unquestioned best guard in the game and we fully expect the Cowboys to nip this in the bud before it becomes a real issue.