Is Zack Martin’s agent playing serious hardball?

[AbeBeta]

Guards, even the best of them, shouldn't take up 10% of your total salary cap. It's entirely too easy to get a serviceable replacement for a fraction of that price. We're not talking about a LT, here.

If Martin is dead set on being the highest earning player at his position, let him sign with a perennial loser.

I mean, a perennial loser OTHER than the Cowboys

This is true for nearly every guard in the league.

But I don't think it applies to Martin.

Zack is a special player. There are few Gs with his resume - named all pro four times in his first four years. That's just an elite level of play that you don't replace.

 

[BlindFaith]

But will they? That is the question, my Yorick.

Yeah, I think they are. That's why he hasn't been signed yet.

And the long term availability of Smith plays into this as well. If Smith can only go another year or two, then swallowing the Martin load becomes more palitable. So to speak. ~cough~

 

[gmoney112]

He's one of the best in the game, and I would have offered him a contract before this off-season, but now I'm going to have to take a hard look at whether I want to pay this astronomical price along Fred, Tyron, and Collins.

 

[The Natural]

You can probably get a good deal for him (talking about via trade). Just saying, I dont care who he is I'm not keen on tying up all that money on the o-line.

 

[texbumthelife]

He's one of the best in the game, and I would have offered him a contract before this off-season, but now I'm going to have to take a hard look at whether I want to pay this astronomical price along Fred, Tyron, and Collins.

I'm sure they've already made him offers. Or, I would hope they have at least.

 

[Corso]

Yeah, I think they are. That's why he hasn't been signed yet.

And the long term availability of Smith plays into this as well. If Smith can only go another year or two, then swallowing the Martin load becomes more palitable. So to speak. ~cough~

Makes sense.

 

[cern]

Zacks hometown is in Indiana. Probably a Colts fan. Hmm, they have lots of money.

Would you trade Martin this year if they would give up a first and second?

In a heartbeat. I've been saying for a year Martin will be a hard guy to resign unless paid top dollar. While some naively believe in home team discounts, I believe it's always about the money. Can't blame the players.

 

[BlindFaith]

This is true for nearly every guard in the league.

But I don't think it applies to Martin.

Zack is a special player. There are few Gs with his resume - named all pro four times in his first four years. That's just an elite level of play that you don't replace.

This brings up something I talked about years ago. Teams should be rewarded for drafting well.

There should be a % of the cap that you can use to resign guys you drafted.

Let's say 10% for kicks. So 17 million. That money would be above and beyond the cap number, but not be included in the cap. I'd also tie the percentage to how much money a team spends over the floor limit. So teams that don't pay players don't get as much draft allowance.

But you can only use that money towards players you drafted. The Zack situation would be a perfect use case.

Teams could stay teams longer term. Teams wouldn't be penalized by losing good players they drafted.

 

[sdfidaho]

Zacks hometown is in Indiana. Probably a Colts fan. Hmm, they have lots of money.

Would you trade Martin this year if they would give up a first and second?

I’d hate to see him go, but yes.
Better than crippling the team with a contract on a RG.
Now if he were able to play LT and be an All-Pro...

 

[sdfidaho]

He's one of the best in the game, and I would have offered him a contract before this off-season, but now I'm going to have to take a hard look at whether I want to pay this astronomical price along Fred, Tyron, and Collins.

You don’t think they offered?

 

[kevm3]

Let's let all the talent on the team walk and just replace them in the draft

 

[AbeBeta]

This brings up something I talked about years ago. Teams should be rewarded for drafting well.

There should be a % of the cap that you can use to resign guys you drafted.

Let's say 10% for kicks. So 17 million. That money would be above and beyond the cap number, but not be included in the cap. I'd also tie the percentage to how much money a team spends over the floor limit. So teams that don't pay players don't get as much draft allowance.

But you can only use that money towards players you drafted. The Zack situation would be a perfect use case.

Teams could stay teams longer term. Teams wouldn't be penalized by losing good players they drafted.

Teams are rewarded for drafting well. Franchise tag. Compensatory picks if a guy leaves.

 

[StarBoyz83]

15-16 mil a year or he be gone unless they tag him next offseason.

 

[theebs]

Hardball was my favorite game on my Commodore 64.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

I see Frederick, Martin, and Smith retiring as Cowboys. Since we can't expect huge contracts from five players on the unit, I can see them recycling RT and LG positions every 4-5 years via the draft. Example, this a good year fill LG with low first or 2nd round pick and lock it down for 4 years. Couple years same thing with Collins and RT. Let Collins walk and draft his replacement.

 

[northerncowboynation]

That is a more likely scenario than most would suspect. Guard MAY be a really high priority in this draft.

Hey, to even suggest that would make it seem like we have a plan! C'mon man there ain't no plan!! There is no foresight! We're gonna bend over for Condon

Imagine if we let him walk! Imagine the yowling, the catterwalling, the whining, the gnashing of teeth... mostly from the fans who say we're bending over for Condon. Some like to play both sides of the fence as long as it's dismal, black, dank and weary on one side or the other

That scenario would be something that most wouldn't expect though and the threads would be hilarious. Most would start... how to suck and blow at the same time

 

[gjkoeppen]

This situation is bugging me (what else is new). Tom Condon has a rep for being a tough agent but the Cowboys FO usually get contracts done fairly quickly for a player they really want. Going into training camp last year Stephen said his number one priority was getting Zack Martin signed to a long term contract. Stephen has always said how great Zack Martin is and how much they want him to be a Cowboy for life. So here we are almost a year later and it doesn't seem like they are really any closer to getting a deal done if you listen to Stephen. His price tag is like ocean view real estate in California. Every day, month, year the price tag just goes up. If this deal gets done that would also help our cap situation immediately. Anyone know why such a long holdup?

Fans that play wannabe capologists assure everyone that a long term contract will provide all this cap room because they have their scenarios of what the contract will be but fail to accept one simple fact. It takes the player and his agent to accept those contracts and as those wannabe capologists are finding out that apparently Martin isn't jumping at their contract scenarios. Martin knows he's the best guard in the NFL and is probably holding out to be paid like he is. That being the case there won't be a ton of cap savings this year or any year. He probably wants not only to get a hefty bonus but a very respectable base salary too. That is what the best get, a big bonus and a large base salary.
.

 

[Rayman70]

JUST PAY THE MAN. HE IS THE BEST AT HIS POSITION...HE sets the going pay rate,period. No need to get all cheap...just SHUT UP and pay him. Worry about Tyron and Fred Beard later. Me thinks Tyron will be gone anyways in another year or 2. He's been pretty banged up lately.Not sure he is elite anymore.

 

[BlindFaith]

Teams are rewarded for drafting well. Franchise tag. Compensatory picks if a guy leaves.

Franchise tag is a cap killer. And you would be happy getting a third round pick for having to let Martin walk?

 

[northerncowboynation]

Oh, did anyone notice that our cost of the D-line is a measly 6% less than the O-line. Knew that pie chart would come in handy