As the guard market has topped the $20MM-per-year mark, one of this era’s premier performers has seen his contract surpassed many times over. As a result, the Cowboys may have a Zack Martin issue to navigate.
Martin remains tied to a $14MM-AAV agreement he signed back in 2018. The Cowboys have traditionally preferred long-term extensions, and players signing those run the risk of watching the market change rapidly during the contract’s lifespan. At the time of its completion, Martin’s extension set a guard record. Five years later, Martin is now the league’s eighth-highest-paid guard.
This has become a problem, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the perennial All-Pro believes he is “woefully underpaid relative to the market” (Twitter link). The future Hall of Famer is considering not reporting to Cowboys camp, per Schefter. A holdout would be a drastic step for Martin, seeing as the 2020 CBA prevents teams from waiving fines for players who avoid training camp. Two years remain on Martin’s contract. The Cowboys and Martin engaged in brief discussions at the Combine, Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets, but it is clear those did not progress.
While Schefter notes the Cowboys have not shown an eagerness to restructure Martin’s deal, the sides did agree on a restructure in March and have done so several times over the past few years. But these transactions did not add any new money to the contract. With two seasons remaining on the six-year accord, it is not too surprising the Cowboys are not ready to redo the deal.
With the Cowboys long aiming to extend CeeDee Lamb, Trevon Diggs and Terence Steele, Martin appears to want a place near the front of the line. Martin is going into his age-33 season and running short on time to capitalize again on the elite form he has displayed. Martin’s reps have submitted a proposal that would not affect his 2023 and ’24 cap hits much, per the Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins. He is on Dallas’ books at $11MM and $23.3MM, respectively, over the next two years.
While Martin remains tied to the deal he agreed to back in 2018, Quenton Nelson and Chris Lindstrom moved the guard market past $20MM per year. Nelson agreed to terms on a position-record extension just before last season; that deal moved the needle considerably for guards. But the Falcons blocker has already surpassed the multi-time All-Pro Colt, signing a five-year, 102.5MM accord in March. Martin ran his All-Pro count to a historic place last season, and it is unsurprising he no longer views his Cowboys terms as satisfactory.
Among pure guards, only Hall of Famers John Hannah and Randall McDaniel earned more first-team All-Pro honors (seven apiece) than Martin (six). Bouncing back after an injury-abbreviated 2020 season, Martin collected All-Pro accolades in each of the past two years. While Travis Frederick retired early and Tyron Smith has annually seen injuries slow him over the past several years, Martin has been the Cowboys’ cornerstone blocker during the Dak Prescott era.
The Cowboys can fine Martin $50K per day for each practice he misses. This penalty has made the holdout a thing of the past, with hold-in measures now en vogue. The Notre Dame product may consider the latter avenue as well.
The Cowboys moving on from their starting left guard in each of the past two offseasons; Connor Williams signed with the Dolphins and Connor McGovern joined the Bills. Martin has been Dallas’ interior constant, but five summers after he gave the team six additional years of control, it appears the organization will have another key contractual matter to consider during what shapes up as an interesting training camp through this lens.
He signed a what, 6 year, $84 million dollar contract and now he wants to whine about it? If he didn’t want to set his pay for 6 years then why did he sign a 6 year contract? He didn’t have to. No one forced him to. It gets hard keeping interest in the NFL with stories like this.
Most players want the stability of a long term deal. That and the guaranteed money. Some players out preform that, and want to get paid as such. Some under preform, get cut, and lose all their non guaranteed money. So yes, no one told him he had to sign and for how long. But I’m sure if your job offered you a deal for long term stability, you’d take it. It’s better than looking for a new job year to year.
Using an article on BR I read today NFL contracts are fluff.
The lead RB on the list is Josh Jacobs.
BR predicts Projected Contract: Three years, $35.5 million, $22.5 million guaranteed.
To me, it’s a 3 year deal worth $22.5m. $3m less than he’ll make on the tag. The other $10m is fluff. “Be the league MVP (0% chance)’. ‘Be the leading rusher (7% chance)’ ‘Win the SB (0% chance).’ etc.
Short term deals are the way to go in the NFL. 1-2 years fully guaranteed. No player asks for that. They demand long term deals then, like this guy say ‘I’m under paid!’.
This quote from yesterday was by far the most accurate quote I have heard from today’s NFL players.
“Any team in the NFL is an ideal landing spot for me,” From Yannick Ngakoue. Spot on!
link to bleacherreport.com
Short term deals are great, if you’re an above average player and don’t get a career ending injury.
What’s the difference? Hundreds of below average players will be cut by week 1. I did say guaranteed deals for above average players. I would sign Jacobs, Barkley & Tony P to 2 year fully guaranteed deals. Going by the tag price, 2 years $20m.
The cap rises well over 8% every year. Why lock yourself into a long term deal knowing it will be outdated in a year or 2?
I think I agree with you, arty, if it were up to me. Unfortunately, the “game” of the negotiations has created these fake contracts that benefit no one but the agents who advertise them for their own business. Consequently, players feel that they need the splash contract to truly feel appreciated, which is honestly a bit silly, considering how many of them know how fluffy these deals actually are most of the time. Occasionally, you’ll get your Kirk Cousins or Darrelle Revis who prefers a shorter and more guaranteed contract, but for the most part, players want long term deals and then want a graduated salary. It’s one or the other in reality.
Each has advantages. Martin got security and high pay, for instance, but now is “only” the eighth highest paid guard out of sixty-four starters (math says that’s higher than 87.5% of his competitors, which is about where his play was last year). If it’s going to bother a player that his contract is not tops at the position, then short term deals are better options. Long contracts will always age out. But it’s also those long term deals that raise market value, as Martin’s did years ago.
Like I said with the running backs, players demand long term deals then see they are underpaid in 2-3 years. Wrong league for multi year deals.
Doesn’t really make sense in a violent sport. Players should try to get as much guaranteed money as possible as many times as they can because their career can end in a split second.
Don’t worry about Martin cowboys fans will just talk up his backup like he is good
No we won’t. It’s a HUGE issue if he’s not around.
Perhaps he shouldn’t have signed it then
C’mon, the man deserves a few new Bentleys. Hard to feel bad for a guy making $14M a year when good RBs are getting cut at $10M.
Guess a contract is never a contract!
“Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar” / Sigmund Freud
The only thing I didn’t see (and I may have just skimmed over it..) was him or the writer talking about how the poor fella puts his physical and mental well-being on the line each and every time he steps on the field.
Must be saving that for next week, in case ol’ Jerry doesn’t cough up the dough before then.
I know we have Lamb, Diggs, and Parsons coming due, but pay this man.
Okay but you better hope that Lamb, Digggs, Parsons, Martin and Zak can find a whole bunch of schmucks to play along side of them for dirt because there just isn’t enough money to go around for anybody else…..