Once again, the Cowboys find themselves with over 20 players who have expiring contracts. But still, there's a large percentage of players on the roster already in place. Over the next few weeks, the staff writers will evaluate those players under contract, reviewing their past performances with an outlook to the future. Today, we'll continue the series with right guard Zack Martin
What Worked: Despite all of the mixing and matching going on around him for 17 regular season games, Zack Martin turned in another stellar campaign in his ninth season with the Cowboys. Naturally, he started every game this season while racking up his eighth Pro Bowl nod and sixth first-team All-Pro honor and helping anchor an offensive line that never quite seemed to get settled due to injuries to Tyron Smith, Terence Steele, and Tyler Biadasz. Though when he and Steele were teamed up on the right side, there was no better run-blocking duo in the league.
Needs Some Work: There isn't much to pick through when it comes to Martin's body of work. He'll turn 33 years old this season but has yet to show any signs of slowing down and has been an ironman throughout his career outside of a calf injury in 2020 that landed him on the injured reserve list and limited him to 10 games. So as history would tell you, if Martin is on the field - he's going to produce at a high level.
His Best Work: You'd be hard pressed to find a more consistent offensive lineman in the league than Zack Martin. Though he collected his first holding penalty since 2019, and that is as unbelievable as it sounds, the future Hall of Famer added to his amazing streak of two or fewer penalties in each of his last seven seasons.
Contract Consideration: Martin's six-year $84 million extension that he signed prior to the 2018 season is set to expire in 2025 with a base salary of $13.5 million and salary cap hit of $19.9 million his upcoming season. In 2024 he'll enter with a $13 million base salary and $20.4 million salary cap charge.
What's Next: Fear not, Martin is not going anywhere. He'll enter the 2023 season as one of the key figureheads and veteran leaders in the Cowboys' locker room alongside Dak Prescott, DeMarcus Lawrence, and others. So long as Martin can continue his superb level of play and serve as a stabilizing force upfront going forward, he'll be a crucial piece of the Cowboys' future.
