Inside The Star
In the mayhem of a head coaching search and a new staff, one of the most important parts of this Cowboys offseason hasn’t been discussed nearly enough: the future of All-Pro Guard, Zack Martin.
At 34 years old, Martin has been open about his thoughts on retirement. Last year, he candidly admitted that the 2024 season could be his last.
While he’s still a key player on the field and in the locker room, his performance has slipped.
https://twitter.com/JohnOwning/status/1845861660663439777 That’s to be expected from an offensive lineman of Martin’s age, but it does raise a serious question about his future in 2025. He could retire, sign an extension with Dallas, or join a new team in free agency.
Martin said that himself in a new interview with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Let’s take a close look at each of these three options and what could ultimately lay ahead for Cowboys legend, Zack Martin.
The best answer for Cowboys fans, and perhaps the most likely one, is that Martin will sign a contract extension to stay in Dallas.
He did sign a reworked contract in 2023, which locked him in on a 2-year, $36M deal.
That has now expired, and it’s fair to assume a hypothetical next contract for Martin would be shorter, and cheaper. After all, if he does decide to come back, it likely won’t be for more than the 2025 season.
This fact is what makes a return to Dallas possible. The Cowboys don’t want to spend, but Martin may only cost 1-year, $10M, or so.
https://twitter.com/nickharrisfwst/status/1866957927011193261?s=46&t=shldebyDxz8W9WfqFScyCw It’s also hard to see him, after 11 years in Dallas, uproot everything and head elsewhere.
That did happen with former Cowboy Jason Witten, but that was after a bunch of Dallas staff members headed out west to Las Vegas. That kind of situation doesn’t exist right now, so Martin would be in a new environment.
Don’t let his slight decline fool you: retaining Zack Martin is key to the Cowboys’ 2025 success, both on the field and off.
Not even a year ago, we saw a 13-year Cowboy veteran offensive lineman leave in free agency. The same set of circumstances could result in a Martin departure this offseason.
Tyron Smith is a franchise legend for Dallas, but when the time came to pay him at 34 years old, they tapped out when other teams got to bidding.
With their “tight budget” strategy, the price became too high for the Cowboys to touch, and ultimately Smith left town for New York on a 1-year deal that’s maximum value was up to $20M.
https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1768806201087721967 In hindsight, it was for the best for Dallas to pass, as Smith’s one year with the Jets was marked by injuries and lackluster performance.
However, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a gamble, and it also doesn’t mean it would go the same way with Martin.
Teams won’t be scared to bid on...
