(Editor's Note: Time to check the mail! The DallasCowboys.com staff writers answer your questions here in 'Mailbag' presented by Miller Lite.)
How big of a loss is Zack Martin's retirement? And where would you rank him among the great offensive linemen in team history? – Michael Garcia/San Antonio, TX
Nick: Second. I can't say that I've covered all of the great lineman in Cowboys history but judging on a combination of hearsay, footage, accomplishments, etc ... I'd say Zack Martin is just behind Larry Allen on the list. If there's ever a scenario where you can have a legit 1-A and 1-B, then this would be the case.
I'd still put Larry Allen first because of his true dominance. Now, he still had great footwork and technique but with his added strength, he was a pure mauler. Thankfully, Allen was able to join the Cowboys when he did and picked up a Super Bowl in 1995, his second year in the league. Because for the most part, Allen played on some really bad teams with the Cowboys for parts of his carer. But was still considered one of the very best players in the league, despite the lack of success.
As much as I love Zack Martin as a player and person, I'd still put him right behind Larry Allen, but that's still ahead of other all-time greats such as Rayfield Wright, Nate Newton, Mark Stepnoski and his teammates - Travis Frederick and Tyron Smith.
Kurt: At this point, I think Zack Martin retiring is probably best for everyone, especially for him but even the Cowboys as well. There's no question he's a warrior. He gave it all he could last year, but his body just can't handle the rigors of the NFL anymore, at least not at the level he and the team are accustomed to.
With that said, he will definitely be missed. Martin has been a leader and mentor off the field, setting the standard for the offensive line room. But as Bill Parcells once famously said, "If you're thinking about retirement, you're already retired." It's time for the Cowboys to move forward with somebody else carrying the mantle (Tyer Smith?).
As far as where Martin ranks among the great linemen in franchise history, he has to be considered in that same realm as Larry Allen. During his time in Dallas, Allen made 10 Pro Bowls and was named first-team All-Pro six times. Martin had nine trips to the Pro Bowl but earned seven first-team All-Pro honors. Allen was named to the All-Decade Teams for both the 1990s and 2000s while Martin was picked for the 2010s team and should be in the running for the 2020s group as well.
You could also look at Pro Football Reference's Approximate Value metric (AV). In Cowboys history, only five offensive linemen have earned a career AV of 100 or better: Martin (128), Allen (123), Tyron Smith (115), Ralph Neely (113) and Nate Newton (108). And Martin earned his mark playing in 162 games while Allen appeared in 176 contests for Dallas.
Allen probably still gets the nod as the best offensive linemen ever in Cowboys history as he was just a freak of nature. But a case can certainly be made for Martin. Regardless, even if he's second, Martin will one day join Allen in both the Ring of Honor and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
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