Jerry Jones, Mike McCarthy react to Cowboys All-Pro’s holdout

On the same day the Dallas Cowboys inked star cornerback Trevon Diggs to a massive five-year contract extension, owner Jerry Jones met with the media to discuss a notable holdout.

Eight-time Pro Bowl guard Zack Martin didn’t show up to the start of training camp due to unhappiness regarding his contract. He reportedly feels that the team isn’t interested in reworking his deal, and per ESPN’s Todd Archer, he feels he’s “woefully underpaid relative to the market.”

Those elements are the making of a high-caliber holdout, but speaking to the media on Tuesday, it didn’t seem like Jones was all that worried.

“He’s in our plans,” Jones told the media as he walked away from his news conference. “We’re not going to discuss anything about any of our players’ agreements. “We certainly have great communication with frankly, everybody. Not necessarily any surprises at all but we won’t be discussing any football business aspect of this with any public comments.”

Jones neglected to get into specifics, and it’s telling that the longtime owner didn’t want to tip his hand.

“Again, I don’t want to get into my expectations… I know that will give you some indication,” Jones said. “I know we’ve got everything as we start camp today, where we are, there is nothing to concern me with anything we’re doing with the contractual situations.”

In terms of X’s and O’s, head coach Mike McCarthy would certainly like to have Martin ready to go and practiced up for the start of the 2023 season. As one may expect, though, the veteran head coach toed the company line while still paying respect to the six-time All-Pro 

“Nothing has changed how we feel about Zack,” McCarthy said. “He’s a great player. He’s one of the team leaders. There is nothing but love for him and that part hasn’t changed. As Jerry addressed, it’s a business situation and that’s where it is.”

Martin, who was taken No. 16 overall in 2014 out of Notre Dame, signed a six-year, $84 million contract with the Cowboys in 2018 — $40 million of which was guaranteed. The average salary on the contract was $14 million. 

Guard Chris Lindstrom of the Atlanta Falcons recently signed a five-year, $102.5 million contract that will net him an average of $20.5 million a year. Quenton Nelson of the Indianapolis Colts — another Notre Dame grad — is earning an average annual salary of $20 million on the contract extension he signed in September 2022.