Cowboys owner gets brutally honest about Zack Martin contract situation

Desiring a new contract with a hefty pay bump, star Dallas Cowboys guard Zack Martin is sitting out training camp until there’s a resolution. However, owner Jerry Jones told reporters Saturday that “nothing” will be done to solve the messy situation. 

“He’ll come to camp when he comes to camp. There’s no resolution,” Jones said via Jon Machota of The Athletic. “There are a lot of consequences if he doesn’t – The bottom line is, nothing needs to happen.” 

Jones continued to play hardball, adding that Martin had been paid like a top guard throughout his career since being selected 16th overall by the Cowboys in the 2014 NFL Draft. While that may have been true when Martin inked a six-year, $84 million contract extension in 2018, the market has changed quite a bit since then. Ahead of the 2023 campaign, eight guards in the NFL made a higher annual salary than Martin ($14 million), who is an eight-time Pro Bowler and six-time All-Pro. 

After stating that there wouldn’t be any answers for Martin coming, Jones revealed the real issue – the Cowboys need to save the money he wants for other players. 

“It’s not about precedent, it’s about facts,” Jones said. “We need the money to pay [Micah] Parsons. We need the money to pay the players that we have to pay in the future. That’s a fact.” 

Even at 32, Martin is still playing like one of the top guards in the league, coming off a year where he started all 17 games while earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors. Maybe that’s why quarterback Dak Prescott said, “Pay the man” when asked his thoughts on Martin’s contract dispute. 

While Martin’s holdout continues, it may not last for long. The Cowboys guard is subject to fines of $50,000 for each day of training camp he misses, so even without a new deal, Martin will likely show up sooner rather than later.