HEADLINES

Zack Martin

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/9/24

December 9th, 2024 at 7:52pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Dallas Cowboys

Cincinnati Bengals

New England Patriots

Patriots third-round rookie Caedan Wallace is set to return to practice for the first time since suffering an ankle injury in early October. Per ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the rookie lineman “stayed close” to veteran David Andrews as the two went through their respective rehabs. Considering New England’s current patchwork OL, Wallace should get some run before the season ends.

Cowboys’ Zack Martin To Undergo Season-Ending Ankle Surgery

December 5th, 2024 at 9:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

9:43pm: Martin is “dealing with a degenerative condition” in his ankle, per David Moore of The Dallas Morning News, fueling speculation that he has played his last snaps in the NFL.

Martin’s ankle had bothered him dating back to last season and flared up during training camp this year. The Cowboys tried to manage the injury, but it worsened in November. Martin originally planned to sit out two games and return in Week 14, but his ankle did not respond to his usual treatment regimen after Week 11. It became clear that Martin could not maintain his All-Pro level of play for the rest of the year. With Dallas all but eliminated from the playoffs, surgery became the best option, as it would give Martin a head-start on his recovery if he chooses to return in 2025.

Martin has previously hinted that the 2024 season would be his last, and his lasting ankle injury may provide additional reason to believe that he will retire after this year.

11:30am: Zack Martin suffered an ankle injury in Week 11, and it will keep him out of the Cowboys’ lineup for the rest of the year. The future Hall of Fame guard will undergo season-ending surgery, head coach Mike McCarthy announced on Thursday.

Martin operated as a full-time starter during his 10 appearances in 2024, his 11th season with Dallas. The 2010s All-Decade team member has been a staple along the interior offensive line throughout his career, but there is a chance this news marks the end of his NFL playing tenure. Martin admitted this past summer he will give thought to retirement following the 2024 campaign.

The 34-year-old is a pending free agent, and in the event he were to hang up his cleats the Cowboys would face the challenging task of finding a replacement. In the immediate future, Dallas will continue with a shorthanded unit up front including former undrafted rookie T.J. Bass seeing time at guard. The team sits at 5-7 on the year, and news of Martin being gone the rest of the way adds further to the likelihood of the season ending without a postseason berth.

While Martin’s Cowboys tenure has not included a deep playoff run, his career features a long list of individual accolades. The former first-rounder has received nine Pro Bowl invitations and he has landed on nine total All-Pro lists (seven first-team, two second-team). Only in 2020 – when he was limited to just 10 games – did Martin not add to those figures. That will likely be the case again for 2024.

As the Cowboys prepare to make a number of key financial decisions this offseason, Martin’s future will be a central storyline for the franchise. The Notre Dame product has started all 162 of his appearances, operating as a consistent figure up front while other blockers have cycled through. Adding new options up front has been a draft priority in recent years, with Tyler Smith being selected in 2022 and fellow starters Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe being added this past April.

Finding a long-term right guard option would be a target this offseason if Martin were to retire. A decision on that front may not be made for several months, but it could take into account the lengthy rehab process which will await him once his operation takes place.

Cowboys Activate Marshawn Kneeland, Chuma Edoga From IR

November 23rd, 2024 at 2:26pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Cowboys made a flurry of roster moves on Saturday, including the activation of rookie defensive end Marshawn Kneeland and veteran offensive tackle Chuma Edoga from injured reserve, per a team announcement.

Kneeland, the 56th overall pick in April’s draft, was designated for return on Wednesday after recovering from surgery on a partially-torn lateral meniscus. Edoga has been ramping up in practice for a few weeks after a preseason toe injury sidelined him for the Cowboys’ first 10 games.

Neither player is expected to start for the Cowboys on Sunday, but they will provide depth on the edge of the trenches on either side of the ball. Kneeland is still hunting for his first career sack at defensive end, while Edoga is likely to serve as a swing tackle behind Tyler Guyton and Terence Steele.

To make room on their 53-man roster, the Cowboys placed safety Markquese Bell on injured reserve and waived defensive end K.J. Henry. Bell had to undergo shoulder surgery after a Week 11 injury, while Henry became surplus to requirements with Kneeland’s return.

The Cowboys also ruled out All-Pro guard Zack Martin with 2023 undrafted free agent T.J. Bass likely starting in his place. Dallas is also swapping out one All-Pro cornerback for another with Trevon Diggs ruled out and DaRon Bland expected to make his season debut after recovering from a setback from his foot surgery. Bland has played just two games with Diggs over the last two season, per The Athletic’s Jon Machota, and he will be the sixth different starting outside cornerback for Dallas this year, according to Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News.

Injuries have been a constant issue for the Cowboys this season. On Sunday, the team’s top-five 2024 salary cap hits – totaling more than $100MM – will all be sidelined, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. That list includes Martin and Diggs, along with Dak Prescott, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Brandin Cooks, who all remain on injured reserve. Prescott is out for the season, while Lawrence is still rehabbing from a Lisfranc injury. Dallas declined to activate Cooks from injured reserve after he was designated for return earlier this week and progressing towards a return to the field.

Zack Martin To Consider Retirement After 2024 Season

June 5th, 2024 at 1:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

While Micah Parsons might be the Cowboys’ most talented player, Zack Martin is easily the most accomplished performer on Dallas’ roster. A surefire future Hall of Famer, Martin has been one of the NFL’s top guards since being a 2014 first-round pick.

Year 10 brought an interesting chapter for Martin. The decorated blocker held out and saw his tactic produce a solid reward, with the Cowboys greenlighting a raise and a substantial guarantee bump. Martin rewarded the club with a seventh first-team All-Pro season. One year remains on Martin’s deal, and the Canton-bound guard is unsure he will follow Tyron Smith in pursuing another contract. Martin said he will consider retirement following the 2024 campaign.

[RELATED: Cowboys Expected To Make Dak Prescott Strong Offer]

“I’m not saying 100%, but I think it’s definitely in the realm of possibilities,” Martin said, via the Dallas Morning News’ Michael Gehlken, of the possibility 2024 is his last season. “And that’s one thing I don’t want to do. For myself, I don’t want to be thinking, ‘Oh, this is it. This is it.’ I want to stay in the moment, and I want to play the best that I can play at this point and be the best right guard this team needs on a weekly basis. And then after the season, we’ll figure out what’s going on.”

Despite coming into the NFL two years after Smith, the acclaimed right guard is a month older than his longtime teammate. Drafted at 23, Martin will turn 34 in November. Martin signed a six-year, $84MM extension before the 2018 season. The extension ties the cornerstone lineman to the Cowboys for seven years. While the team revised Martin’s deal to end his holdout last year, the parameters of the 2018 agreement still shape his path to free agency.

Martin remaining at or close to his All-Pro form would, even at 34, make him an attractive free agent — particularly for contending teams — in 2025. Guards rarely receive the franchise tag, due to all O-linemen being under one umbrella on the tag, and the Cowboys’ contract situation has produced complications to the point a 2025 tag for anyone might not be in the cards. The team has Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb deals to complete, with a monster Parsons payday likely coming next year.

Restructures also stand to make matters difficult for the Cowboys regarding Martin, as a $26.5MM dead money hit would come to pass if he is not re-signed before the start of the 2025 league year. As the Tom Brady Buccaneers contract showed, a retirement would also stick the Cowboys with that void years-driven bill.

ESPN’s run block win rate metric slotted Martin fifth last season, though his 18th-place Pro Football Focus finish marked a career-low ranking. The 2014 first-round pick said his holdout, along with nagging injuries, hindered him — to a degree, as an All-Pro nod still commenced — in 2023. That said, Martin is in rare territory among guards. Even counting pre-merger players, Martin’s seventh first-team All-Pro selection tied him for first all-time at the position — with Hall of Famers John Hannah and Randall McDaniel.

The Cowboys did not re-sign Tyron Smith and, after the Tyler Guyton first-round choice, are expected to keep All-Pro Tyler Smith at left guard. As the team breaks in a new center post-Tyler Biadasz, Martin remains the team’s anchor piece up front. The Cowboys will count on the Notre Dame product again in 2024, but with his contract expiring and retirement under consideration, the All-Decade-teamer’s future is uncertain beyond the upcoming season.

NFL Restructures: Mahomes, Chiefs, Allen, Bills, Broncos, Browns, Martin, Cowboys

March 15th, 2024 at 6:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Completing a Marquise Brown signing after franchise-tagging L’Jarius Sneed, the Chiefs were able to find room due to once again taking advantage of Patrick Mahomes‘ unique contract. Kansas City created $21.6MM in cap space by restructuring the three-time Super Bowl MVP’s contract, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. The Chiefs have gone to this well twice before, making the move in 2021 and 2023 to create cap room. The team reworked Mahomes’ deal in September 2023, following the QB market moving well beyond the Missouri-based superstar’s $45MM AAV, by moving guaranteed money around. But the extension still runs through 2031, giving the team room to maneuver here. Even with the Sneed tag on the books — ahead of a potential trade — the Chiefs hold more than $15MM in cap space as of Friday afternoon.

Here is the latest on the restructure front:

  • After the Bills made a few high-profile cuts last week, they restructured their centerpiece player’s deal this week. Buffalo created $16.7MM in cap space by restructuring Josh Allen‘s deal, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. This merely moved Allen’s 2024 cap charge down to $30.4MM. No void years are on Allen’s $43MM-per-year extension, but monster cap numbers in 2026 and ’27 ($63.9MM, $56.9MM) will need to be addressed. Allen’s deal runs through 2028. The Bills also adjusted Dawson Knox‘s contract to create cap space, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
  • The Broncos may be preparing to take the bigger Russell Wilson dead money hit this year as opposed to in 2025. Though, the final number has not yet emerged. The team has created considerable cap space as of late, releasing Justin Simmons and trading Jerry Jeudy. The Broncos also restructured the contracts of 2023 UFA pickups Zach Allen and Ben Powers, per Yates, creating nearly $20MM in cap room.
  • The Cowboys reorganized Zack Martin‘s deal recently, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer, who indicates the move created roughly $13MM in cap space. To end Martin’s holdout last year, Dallas provided considerable guarantees over the final two years of the All-Pro guard’s six-year deal. That contract now features four void years. If the Cowboys do not extend Martin before the 2025 league year, they would be staring at a $24.5MM dead money blow.
  • Jedrick Wills will check in here, even though he is not on a veteran contract. The Browns restructured their left tackle’s fifth-year option, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. The move created more than $10MM in cap space. Cleveland tacked four void years onto Wills’ deal. If the team does not re-sign him before the 2025 league year, it incurs an $11.8MM dead money bill. The Browns also turned to Jerry Jeudy‘s fifth-year option, which the team recently acquired from the Broncos, to create more than $10MM in space, Yates adds. The team likely used the same void years-based structure with the wide receiver’s option.

NFL Injury Updates: Burrow, Richardson, Barkley, Thomas

September 17th, 2023 at 8:23pm CST by Ely Allen

Bengals fans have been plenty frustrated with the team’s return on investment from quarterback Joe Burrow‘s record-breaking extension. Through two games, Burrow has averaged 152 yards per game while throwing two touchdowns and an interception. People were concerned about the calf injury that forced him out of practice early in training camp this summer and how it would affect him as the season began. Burrow has pointed to that injury as a big reason for some of his early struggles, according to Jay Morrison of Pro Football Network.

Morrison noted that Burrow spoke “with a level of concern” after today’s game when addressing his right calf. He claimed to have tweaked his calf in today’s loss to the Ravens. Not only did he consider it a factor today, and likely last week, but he also thought there was a chance that it could end up being a tight rope that he is forced to walk for the remainder of the season.

It’s not difficult to see that the Burrow we’ve seen so far this year has been far from what we’re used to seeing in recent years. It will be interesting to see how the Bengals move forward with the handling of Burrow’s calf. Pushing him too hard could result in an extended absence, while a short reprieve of a week or two could help him get on top of a recovery that seems to be troubling him. There’s a lot of season left to go, and the Bengals will be keeping a close eye on Burrow in the days and weeks to come.

Here are a few other updates from around the NFL:

  • Colts rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson got off to a hot start in the second game of his NFL career, rushing for two touchdowns early in today’s divisional matchup with the Texans. Richardson had to exit the game in the first half, though, after sustaining a concussion that would hold him out for the remainder of the contest. Richardson was replaced by backup quarterback Gardner Minshew, who helped secure the team’s first win of the season. Richardson will need to go through concussion protocols in order to return to the field. This season, the protocols for return take about five days to get through, meaning Richardson absolutely has a chance to return for Week 3 if he can pass the necessary tests. If not, Minshew will continue to play in relief.
  • Giants running back Saquon Barkley was injured in the final two minutes of today’s win over the Cardinals. He was obviously kept out of the remainder of the game but was visibly upset on the sideline while surrounded by trainers. They taped Barkley’s ankle, but he continued to walk with a significant limp. According to Jordan Raanan of ESPN, an x-ray was performed after the game, while Barkley was still experiencing some swelling and discomfort. It has now been reported as a sprained ankle, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, meaning New York may have dodged a giant bullet, forgive the pun. While this bodes well for Barkley’s season-long prospects, the short week will not be his friend. Expect the Giants to exercise caution and, barring a miracle recovery, hold Barkley out for their Thursday night matchup against the 49ers. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Barkley will undergo an MRI tomorrow in order to determine the severity of the injury and gain an idea of just how much time he may miss.
  • Joining Richardson above, Commanders tight end Logan Thomas left the team’s win over the Broncos today with a concussion that he sustained after getting clobbered over the middle by Denver safety Kareem Jackson. Jackson was ejected for the hit. Backup tight ends John Bates and Cole Turner both got significant run in Thomas’ absence and will continue to do so if he isn’t able to return next week.
  • Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney (knee), Cowboys right guard Zack Martin (ankle), and Ravens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (ankle) all sustained injuries today that kept them out of their respective games. Reports from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Jane Slater and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tell us that none of these injuries are considered serious.

Cowboys’ Jerry Jones Addresses Zack Martin Raise

August 20th, 2023 at 3:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cowboys dealt with a growing training camp issue by reworking guard Zack Martin‘s contract. As a result, the six-time All-Pro will see $36.85MM in fully guaranteed money over the final two years of his deal.

Owner Jerry Jones made a number of public remarks which suggested the Cowboys were not particularly interested in renegotiating Martin’s pact, one which originally set the market for guards but had been overtaken in recent years by other mega-contracts at the position. A lengthy (and expensive) holdout by the 32-year-old came to an end shortly after face-to-face conversations with Jones produced an agreement on a raise.

As Jones indicated recently, the extra money given to Martin alters the spending power the team has when it comes time to negotiate new deals for other internal priorities. A number of players in that category – including, most notably, cornerback Trevon Diggs – have already inked an extension this offseason, but plenty more work remains in that regard. The likes of quarterback Dak Prescott, edge rusher Micah Parsons and wideout CeeDee Lamb will all be eligible for either a restructured pact or an extension next offseason.

“It’s going to be more difficult” Jones said, when asked about the effects of the Martin deal as it pertains to future financial commitments. “We have less money but that’s OK; we made [do with what] we don’t have. We put it to good use. It’s going to the right man” (h/t the Dallas News’ Calvin Watkins).

Martin will be counted on to remain amongst the league’s top O-linemen with his new deal in hand, especially given the cap spike (up to $28.5MM) it calls for in 2024. Lowering Prescott’s cap figure for that year – currently set at just under $59.5MM – and getting Parsons and Lamb on the books for the long-term future will be high on the team’s to-do list. In spite of the slightly increased challenge presented by the Martin agreement (and his own remarks foreshadowing it), Jones remains pleased with the Cowboys’ current financial situation.

“That is the point and that’s what I expressed,” he added. “The facts are, if somebody was going to get it, he’s the right kind [of player at] the right time, obviously he’s the right kind. It’s the right way to do it. I’m satisfied and I’m comfortable with it.”

Latest On Zack Martin’s Reworked Deal

August 16th, 2023 at 12:04pm CST by Ben Levine

AUGUST 16: This reworking will come out to $36.85MM guaranteed for Martin over the next two seasons, Archer tweets. The Cowboys already restructured Martin’s deal this offseason, and after authorizing this significant guarantee bump, the team may need to address the contract again in 2024. While Martin’s 2023 cap number checks in at $11.75MM — up $710K from where it was coming into this week — Archer adds the All-Pro guard’s 2024 cap hit is now $28.5MM (Twitter link). To secure this payout, Martin incurred $850K in fines for his holdout.

AUGUST 15: Zack Martin‘s holdout came to an end yesterday, with the Cowboys inking the lineman to a revised contract. The two sides finally broke their impasse this past weekend, with ESPN’s Todd Archer writing that Martin’s meeting with Jerry Jones this past weekend helped bridge the gap.

[RELATED: Cowboys, Zack Martin Agree To Revised Deal]

“He was great,” Martin told Archer. “We were able to have that one-on-one time, and I think that helped, just being able to talk face-to-face. I think ultimately that’s what made me feel more comfortable and how he felt more comfortable and then we started talking about this and numbers and where we eventually headed.”

Jones made it pretty clear that a Martin raise wasn’t atop the front office’s list of priorities, but the owner/GM was apparently instrumental in getting the new pact over the finish line. While Martin is still in the midst of a six-year, $84MM deal that once made him the NFL’s highest-paid guard, he’ll now get $36MM in guaranteed money over the next two years vs. the $27.5MM he was set to make.

“I just think I’ve been here a long time. I’ve accomplished some great things but just felt like where I was in the market that it’s something that had been deserved and felt strongly about it,” said Martin. “Obviously it took a little time, but I’m super grateful to the Joneses. Once we started talking and having that connection we were able to figure something out that worked for both of us.”

It sounds like guaranteed money was always the holdup. Martin told reporters today that he wasn’t looking to reset the market at his position (per Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News on Twitter). The veteran still ranks eighth at his position for average annual value, but his guaranteed money now ranks third (behind Chris Lindstrom and Quenton Nelson).

While Martin’s three-week absence has come to an end, the lineman will still have to wait for punishment regarding his holdout. As David Moore of the Dallas Morning News writes, the Cowboys are seeking clarification from the league office on whether the lineman will be fined for three off-days that took place during his absence. The Cowboys couldn’t forgive his $50K fines, meaning Martin is either facing punishment of $1M or $850K.

With Martin solidifying right guard, focus will shift to the other side of the line. As Moore writes in the same piece, the Cowboys feel good about Tyler Smith at LG despite the lineman having never played the position. However, the 2022 first-round pick could easily go back to his more natural OT position if Tyron Smith or Terence Steele suffer injuries.

Cowboys, Zack Martin Agree To Revised Deal

August 14th, 2023 at 9:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

One of the league’s high-profile holdouts is coming to an end. A deal has been worked out between guard Zack Martin and the Cowboys, reports NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). Martin will now rejoin the team.

Rapoport adds that Martin will receive a raise across the two years remaining on his existing pact. The new contract will see him earn over $18MM per year, which represents an increase of more than $8MM total compared to what he was previously due. ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes that the compensation in both years is also guaranteed in full (Twitter link). Now, the parties can move forward with the All-Pro’s compensation again falling in line with how he ranks amongst the league’s top linemen.

Martin had been absent throughout training camp while seeking a new contract or a revision to his existing one to reflect the upward movement in the guard market. The latter scenario, which was always the likelier one, has now played out. The 32-year-old was the league’s top-paid guard at the time his six-year, $84MM pact was signed. With his new agreement in place, Martin will now rank third in the league in annual compensation behind Chris Lindstrom and Quenton Nelson, the only guards to reach the $20MM-per-year plateau.

The CBA calls for mandatory daily fines of $50K for players who choose to remain absent from their team’s training camps. As a result, Martin has accrued nearly $1MM in penalties. Given the nature of his re-worked pact, though, his decision has proven to be one which will yield a net gain. Having delivered another Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro performance in 2022, the Notre Dame alum held notable leverage in angling for a bump in pay.

However, owner Jerry Jones made repeated remarks concerning the Cowboys’ lack of a need to address Martin’s wish for a raise, given the term remaining on his deal. Dallas does, as Jones has noted during this saga, have a number of other financial priorities in the short- and intermediate-term future. With no new years being tacked onto the Martin accord, though, the team should still have considerable flexibility moving forward as it eyes new deals for the likes of Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons in the coming year or two. Schefter’s colleague Todd Archer tweets that negotiations picked up over the past 10 days, with Martin and Jones talking directly as part of the process. Both sides can now put this episode behind them.

With Martin back in the fold, offensive line should be a source of strength for the Cowboys in 2023, particularly if fellow All-Pro Tyron Smith can remain healthy. That pair, along with 2022 first-rounder Tyler Smith, will give Dallas flexibility and high-level play along the offensive front if they can repeat their previous performances. In Martin’s case, doing so will prove today’s investment to be a worthwhile one on the team’s part.

The Martin holdout has now come to a close, but others remain in the form of Nick Bosa (49ers) and Chris Jones (Chiefs). Both defenders are seeking long-term deals from their respective teams in the wake of continued top-end production, while accumulating daily fines in the process. It will be interesting to see if the Martin agreement provides a blueprint for a resolution to those cases. In any event, the Cowboys can proceed with the remainder of the offseason at full strength.

Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones Addresses G Zack Martin’s Holdout

August 12th, 2023 at 8:41pm CST by Adam La Rose

With their preseason now officially underway, the top talking point around the Cowboys is the ongoing holdout of Zack Martin. The All-Pro guard does not appear to be close to working out a resolution with his contract status, as owner Jerry Jones recently touched on again.

The latter made it clear last month that Dallas is not interested in discussing a new deal, something Martin is seeking in the wake of the upward movement seen recently in the guard market. Two years remain on his current contract, and Jones has alluded to that fact when speaking about why the Cowboys expect him to report to the team ahead of the regular season.

Dallas also has a number of extensions on the radar, even with the likes of cornerback Trevon Diggs and safety Malik Hooker signing multi-year deals this offseason. A number of other high-profile players (including wideout CeeDee Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott) are either eligible for a second contract or need years added onto their existing one for the sake of smoothing out cap charges. As a result, no traction has been made on the Martin front.

When asked if he is surprised that is the case, Jones said, via The Athletic’s Jon Machota (on Twitter), “Not really. Surprised is really not the word there. It’s very costly. That’s just where we are. There are huge, significant ramifications happening here by anybody’s measure, financially. So , you realize that not having him here, it could happen [via injury] on the next play. You got to put that one on and say you just move on here without him. You say that sounds like a concern. No, I’m just trying to give you how you really have to look at it.”

Martin has remained one of the league’s top O-lineman at any position throughout his Cowboys career. That included Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors in 2022, adding to his case for a raise commensurate with the new financial landscape of the guard position. With a number of other producers whose Dallas tenures are not accounted for, though, a firm stance is also understandable from the team’s perspective.

“It’s not about precedent, it’s about facts,” Jones added, via Sports Illustrated’s Mike Fisher. “We need the money to pay [Micah] Parsons [in the future]. We need the money to pay the players that we got to pay in the future. That’s a fact.”

Martin is accumulating $50K per day in mandatory fines, which has quickly resulted in six-figure penalties for the 32-year-old. His absence has also left the Cowboys in need of a replacement starter at the right guard spot during camp practices and today’s preseason opener. A pair of contenders are in play to win the first-team role.

Josh Ball had the inside track for the title of Martin fill-in, but former UDFA Brock Hoffman has made a case as well, per Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News. The latter played three games in the regular season and one in the playoffs as a rookie last year, putting him at a slight disadvantage compared to Ball. Neither option has the pedigree of Martin, though, so the status of the holdout will remain a major storyline for the foreseeable future.

Load More Posts