Schefter: Zack Martin Unhappy with Contract; Considering Not Reporting to Camp

[blueblood70]

The major flaw in your argument is that while i agree with you 100% that it's a "business" but you are only accepting it's a business on the owners side. It's a business for Zach Martin as well.
The issue on honoring your word when you sign a contract would be fair if the owners held their word as well. The owners don't and back out of contracts they signed as well all the time. Fair is fair IMO

there is no flaw the employers and their lawyers created the contracts the players and their agents signed them yet if the owners wanted to get out of the contract they still owe the player any balance of the guaranteed money they also take a hit on the cap with the dead cap money so it's not all roses and many of those players are not producing anymore N do players give back money when they get injured missed seasons or miss five or six games? In the end it all evens out but the fact is he's under contract and it is a business and Jerry will do the right thing and I know Zach Martin has high integrity and he's not gonna hold out the entire off season I'm sure he'll be back game one regardless of a new contract or not this is just probably his agent said why don't you say something maybe you'll get this moving but I'm pretty sure Jerry already knew about it... But there is no flaw the man has a contract he's paid well if you just look at bright guards he's top five like he's 4th if you look at overall guards he's like 8th I'm sorry but that's not horrible money and he is up there in age so you gotta be able to see both sides of this yes we all love Zach Martin but it's still a business they're still a salary cap and they still gotta sign a bunch of players coming up here soon who are gonna be wanting these brand new big contracts these overpaid bloated contracts we have to somehow fit that under the salary cap so every position just like the running backs are crying or slotted for certain money so you can't just demand money and get a new deal because you are in fact still under contract with your old deal. I get why they do it and he might deserve some more money but I'm not flawed at all my argument is actually facts it's is what it is in sports..

 

[McKDaddy]

Sure thing. Offensive line play has a lot to do with cohesion and playing together. When you’re shuffling the RT the RG is going to struggle regardless of who he is because now he’s not only doing his job, he’s cleaning up the mistakes of the guy next to him. I can explain more about offensive line play to you if you like. Martin is dominant and was dominant again last year. Regardless if you show me 30 plays where he wasn’t. He was elite on 740 of them. Tyler smith wasn’t. Let’s compare them as rookies. Or do you not want to do that?

I've asked you quite a few direct questions. Why don't you answer some of them rather than try to spin the narrative?

Dominant is the key point. On a board full of rabid cowboy fans, you would think that most would have realized that he hasn't been dominant in several years. If he were dominant, we could run behind him to get those tough yards. How many years has it been now that we struggle to convert those short yardage situations? How many pancake blocks out of all those snaps? How many "OMG, I can't believe he just did that"? Do you really think a 32 year old offensive linemen is as good as he was when he was 27? So, why would you want to renew a contract paying him as if he is? Which is apparently what he wants. A contract that recognizes reality and doesn't expose the team if it goes south quickly, that we could talk about.

Simple questions like this could help you see things as they really are today, not as they once were.

As for Tyler, he is young, strong, athletic and still looking to prove himself. In other words he still has all the ingredients to have the type season that Zack had when he was that age.

 

[HungryLion]

Guy played over 1100 snaps last year with 1 penalty and 0 sacks allowed. Let’s cut him.

The mental hoops people will go through, to justify not paying a player. Lol

 

[America's Cowboy]

I've asked you quite a few direct questions. Why don't you answer some of them rather than try to spin the narrative?

Dominant is the key point. On a board full of rabid cowboy fans, you would think that most would have realized that he hasn't been dominant in several years. If he were dominant, we could run behind him to get those tough yards. How many years has it been now that we struggle to convert those short yardage situations? How many pancake blocks out of all those snaps? How many "OMG, I can't believe he just did that"? Do you really think a 32 year old offensive linemen is as good as he was when he was 27? So, why would you want to renew a contract paying him as if he is? Which is apparently what he wants. A contract that recognizes reality and doesn't expose the team if it goes south quickly, that we could talk about.

Simple questions like this could help you see things as they really are today, not as they once were.

As for Tyler, he is young, strong, athletic and still looking to prove himself. In other words he still has all the ingredients to have the type season that Zack had when he was that age.

Correct.

Here is proof...

 

[blueblood70]

I mean zeke did it to us….and got more money. Duane brown OT sat out half the year and was traded and then awarded a new deal with the Seahawks. Deebo Samuel literally demanded a trade and threatened to hold out and received an extension. Dk metcalf wouldn’t work out or practice received a new extension. Aaron Donald held out of camp 2 years straight and received a record breaking deal in 2018. Leveon bell sat out an entire year and was awarded a $52million deal. Sean Gilbert say out an entire season back in the day and was awarded one of the biggest contracts ever for a DL at the time. Chris Johnson held out until September until the titans gave him 53.5 million.

So there’s a long and lengthy track record of success.

Man some of you guys don't read I've already explained this has nothing to do with zeke his contract was different first of all he's a running back he was on his rookie contract and he was looking to get paid because he knew it was his only opportunity he would ever have to get a contract like that whereas isn't this Zach Martin's at least end of his second contract if not it's third it's not the same at all it's a completely different zip code..

You can keep spouting off stuff that happened in the past this isn't the past this is the way in the future from those dudes and by the way lady on bell already admitted he made a mistake and he did not get more money he got less than the contract that the Pittsburgh Steelers had offered him Andy lost the money from the year he sat out so let's not bring that in here because that's a giant plus for the other side of the argument here how many players are in the NFL and you can only bring up five it's not normal it's not the best way to go about it and they're not all the same some of those dudes were on their first contracts looking to get paid because they way outplayed their rookie deals or the small deals that they were on Zack Martin is not on a small deal he is paid like the top four I believe he's 4th in right guard money and he's 8th overall in garden money in the NFL that is not the same as those other dudes you're spitting off same with DK Metcalf pretty sure he was on a rookie deal..

This is a 32 year old man at least toward the end of his second contract I don't keep up but could be his third contract this is nowhere near in the same argument... Yes vets sit out camp a lot, they don't even practice much or play PS games sop the holdout threats hold no water until the regular season games..

none of these are the same debate but good try though
thanks for playing....

 

[Bobhaze]

32 years old. Also he is a guard, still a lesser position than wide receiver. But yeah it is a joke whatever way Jerry deals with it.

Which is easier to find- a quality G or a quality WR? According to NFL scouts, it’s way easier to find a good WR.

 

[jazzcat22]

Oline is a disaster waiting to happen. And this is one thing I would never have predicted. Older guys that miss camp usually come in and get injured early in the season.

Yes and way too often.

 

[MyFairLady]

You are arrogant.

Read it for yourself.

Spotrac Zack Salary

1.7 mil base.

Try making it past the first column. It is a spreadsheet for a reason.

 

[MyFairLady]

Oink oink

 

[J-man]

I'm great and underpaid, I want a new deal. (happens a lot)
I'm a star and want to reset the market. (way too many divas out there)
I'm a rookie, but I'm the next great thing, pay me. (believes their own hype)
I'm a RB and handle the ball a ton so I need to be paid more, even though my position says don't. (true statement)

When will the players and the owners realize that the best way to solve all these contract issues, to get the best product on the field for the fans, which generates the most income possible for them, to get the really good players the most $ without over or under paying them; to stop wrecking teams with bad contracts for payers who don't produce; for keeping rookies from getting mountains of cash before they earn it or to keep the teams from exploiting them is to go with a pay for play system?

 

[Sydla]

They did. Made him the highest paid guard in 2018, as he wanted. Gave him a six-year deal, as he wanted.

Now he's changed his mind. Whose fault is that?

Actually I believe the 6th year was the Cowboys insistence, not Martin's. They did the same with T Smith in his first deal. Cowboys love long, long deals if they can get them because it gives them restructure flexibility.

 

[phildadon86]

A

Correct.

Here is proof...

Oh look. The same play again. Y’all hilarious.

 

[phildadon86]

I've asked you quite a few direct questions. Why don't you answer some of them rather than try to spin the narrative?

Dominant is the key point. On a board full of rabid cowboy fans, you would think that most would have realized that he hasn't been dominant in several years. If he were dominant, we could run behind him to get those tough yards. How many years has it been now that we struggle to convert those short yardage situations? How many pancake blocks out of all those snaps? How many "OMG, I can't believe he just did that"? Do you really think a 32 year old offensive linemen is as good as he was when he was 27? So, why would you want to renew a contract paying him as if he is? Which is apparently what he wants. A contract that recognizes reality and doesn't expose the team if it goes south quickly, that we could talk about.

Simple questions like this could help you see things as they really are today, not as they once were.

As for Tyler, he is young, strong, athletic and still looking to prove himself. In other words he still has all the ingredients to have the type season that Zack had when he was that age.

Ask Zeke who he ran behind for most of his touchdowns last season at the goal line.

Also. Martin was the highest graded OL in 2022. So your entire argument is laughable. He also graded as one the highest OL in football in pass protection last season. But hey. Screw stats. You don’t like him. Lol

 

[Sydla]

If you take the article literally, he's asking for the contract to be "restructured", not improved. It mentions "woefully, underpaid", which refers solely to this year.
Speculating that he wants some of his scheduled 2024 $14m restructured into this year.
Yep the contracts is the contract and was designed as such that he could be cut in 2024 (probably in case of injury or loss of form).
A compromise, if the Cowboys want to keep their top veterans happy is restructure some of the 2024 salary into 2023 and make what's remaining in 2024 subject to fitness.
This isn't a big story, that's why it's come out now.

To be clear, that's what Schefter said but honestly, we have no idea what Martin really wants. My guess is he wants more security beyond this year as next year carries no guarantees. So I guess he wants some sort of guarantee next year and then an extension beyond 2024, which frankly, I think is more than fair for a guy who has been arguably your best and most consistent player over the life of the contract and been nothing but a complete and utter high level respresentative of your franchise both on and off the field.

All this talk of him demanding to be the highest paid or some long term extension is just emotional speculation at this point.

 

[Sydla]

Martin is definately among my favourite players on the team, if not the favourite right now. Among the best Cowboys ever and I have nothing but respect for him.

In this case though he doesn't have a case imo. Was the highest payed OG in football at the time and they will want to extend him anyway. So why go public with this and cause unnessecary drama in the media? Not cool.

But whatever it is, I just hope he'll be locked and loaded against the Giants. They need him more than most other players, 'nuff said.

Again, he didn't go public. At least as far as we know. Schefter reported "sources" are saying this. OK, maybe it was Martin. Or maybe it was his agent. Or maybe it was someone with the Cowboys. Maybe it was a family member. We have no idea. It's not like he issued a formal statement to the press or anything.

 

[Sydla]

That’s mostly cap math.

He got his signing bonus years ago.

He wants a new deal.

I don’t blame him.

Martin carried a $13.7MM base salary this year when the league year started. In order to lower his cap hit, the Cowboys converted $12MM of that base salary to a bonus and wrote him a check for $12MM cash in March. What's left of his original base salary is $1.7MM. But at the end of the day, Zack Martin will pocket $13.7MM in cash this year, not $1.7MM like you think.

https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/lists/cowboys-prescott-martin-restructure-2023/

 

[McKDaddy]

Ask Zeke who he ran behind for most of his touchdowns last season at the goal line.

Also. Martin was the highest graded OL in 2022. So your entire argument is laughable. He also graded as one the highest OL in football in pass protection last season. But hey. Screw stats. You don’t like him. Lol

If I believed every PFF grade or media driven award rather than what is in High Def to be played back at any time, sure we could go with him being the bestest, most dominant lineman in the entire league.

Has nothing to do with liking him. Everything to do with realistically evaluating his performance. I had no issue saying he was dominant. You know, back when he was.

 

[CowboyoWales]

To be clear, that's what Schefter said but honestly, we have no idea what Martin really wants. My guess is he wants more security beyond this year as next year carries no guarantees. So I guess he wants some sort of guarantee next year and then an extension beyond 2024, which frankly, I think is more than fair for a guy who has been arguably your best and most consistent player over the life of the contract and been nothing but a complete and utter high level respresentative of your franchise both on and off the field.

All this talk of him demanding to be the highest paid or some long term extension is just emotional speculation at this point.

Yep, which is why I think he see's the possibility, however unlikely, that he's cut before 2024 and he loses out on $14m.... if he's kept on in 2024 and we don't extend, for whatever reason, doesn't the Void money get added onto that years CAP?
As you say he's probably only trying to safeguard the money.

 

[Sydla]

Ask Zeke who he ran behind for most of his touchdowns last season at the goal line.

Also. Martin was the highest graded OL in 2022. So your entire argument is laughable. He also graded as one the highest OL in football in pass protection last season. But hey. Screw stats. You don’t like him. Lol

It's downright peculiar. Look, if one wants to just hold firm on the belief that all players should abide by the signed contracts and play them out, great. That's an arguable stance. But to sit here and try to argue that Martin doesn't deserve an extension or raise because he's not worthy of it with his play is just strange. He was the best OG in football last year.

 

[Sydla]

Yep, which is why I think he see's the possibility, however unlikely, that he's cut before 2024 and he loses out on $14m.... if he's kept on in 2024 and we don't extend, for whatever reason, doesn't the Void money get added onto that years CAP?
As you say he's probably only trying to safeguarding the money.

I think you have to carry those dummy year cap hits on those specific years. So if Martin plays out in 2024 and then isn't resigned, the Cowboys have to carry those dummy charges in 2025/26. But I could be wrong.