Will Zack Martin be back this season?

[jazzcat22]

Yes, if he can play, we will need him for the playoffs.

 

[CouchCoach]

"They're football players, they play football"......Bill Parcells

If he isn't a risk of aggravation or re-injury, he plays football.

There will be fans that paid good money at every remaining home game and they deserve the best team the Cowboys can put out there. That's been my real issue with the whole tanking idea, would you pay full price for that? Bad enough the preseason games are full price.

 

[OmerV]

If he can play, play him! I don't get this line of thinking......I get it, save him for next year...wah, wah, wah! If he can walk, play him and let him earn his money.

I tend to agree - if fully healthy. The other factor besides earning his money is that he protects other players. His job is to keep QB's and RBs from getting hit, so it's not just a matter of his health, but theirs as well.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

For me, it's not about tanking or giving up. I played sports most of my life and I fully believe you should play to win, period.

However, given the Cowboys have only won 3 games and only have 5 games remaining, I see no reason to risk further injury, especially more serious injury, playing one of our best players out of position at this point.

That said, if they are going to play Martin at guard, I would be okay with bringing him back this year.

Depends on what happens the next couple of weeks. If the Cowboys can climb back to a division lead, or at least tied for it, and Martin can play, I'd play him. If they lose 2 more games, forget it, with 2 more losses most likely they'll be officially eliminated from the playoffs, probably.
But as a subset of that, if you risk further injury, what kind of injury? If he gets hurt again and it's just a matter of with a few weeks rest and treatment he's fine again, then play him. But if he gets hurt again and it's something that requires surgery or could linger for months, then no. Extremely unlikely this team can do anything substantial, like win a couple of playoff games. Pointless to risk his career for a one and done in the playoffs (again) or finishing JUST out of the playoffs. He has several more good to great seasons left in him, based on past performance.

A couple more wins only to pad win/loss stats ain't worth the risk...

 

[blueblood70]

Im in agreement, but was wondering if anyone had a prognosis. All I've seen is multiple weeks.

according to MM Erving is far more likely to return after 2-3 weeks from the wft game then martin..so if Martin can come back say with 2 games left. why do it..i might suit him up as backup just in case and have him available but id rest the guy and not play him unless we are super short on OL with few games left..

doent make sense to rush him back, let the young guys take their lumps and get experience..

 

[blueblood70]

I tend to agree - if fully healthy. The other factor besides earning his money is that he protects other players. His job is to keep QB's and RBs from getting hit, so it's not just a matter of his health, but theirs as well.

yes 100% healthy i agree because he will have a LONG offseason to rest his body 2 more games this year wont extend his a career but id leave it up to him. ask him if he wants to come back and maybe have him as backup just in case we run short on OL..

 

[McKDaddy]

no reason for him to ...

 

[LACowboysFan1]

no reason for him to ...

Not at this point, but let's say Dallas wins the next 2 games, and NY and Wash lose both their next 2? Then Dallas a game ahead with 3 to play, and having the supposedly "easier" schedule, there would be a reason. Maybe not a good reason, but a reason nonetheless...

 

[Reality]

But as a subset of that, if you risk further injury, what kind of injury? If he gets hurt again and it's just a matter of with a few weeks rest and treatment he's fine again, then play him. But if he gets hurt again and it's something that requires surgery or could linger for months, then no.

The problem with sports injuries is not always re-injury of the same injury.

When you get injured in sports (or any time really), it is natural for you to mentally think about and protect that area of your body.

You can hurt your right foot and when you finally start the recovery/therapy process, you will have the tendency to put more weight on your left leg and knee to compensate even when its not necessary.

That combined with knowing that Martin will be back at guard by next season makes it not worth the risk of bringing him back this season, especially not at tackle.

 

[Creeper]

Im in agreement, but was wondering if anyone had a prognosis. All I've seen is multiple weeks.

That's all I have seen, but Martin has a soft tissue injury - a strained calf muscle which he had to a lesser degree before the Washington game. Look what happened there. He quickly reinjured the muscle and the new injury was worse than the original strain. The problem is, unless it is fully healed he risks reinjuring the muscle again. The Cowboys are going nowhere anyway. He might be fully healed for the last two games but what would be the point of bringing him back just for the possibility of improving their record to 5-11?

 

[Ranched]

Fact that he was promptly ruled out upon his departure is not encouraging.

 

[CouchCoach]

Let's be honest here, is Martin in or out the difference in winning and losing?

One trait of good team is the ability to shore up when they lose a player, PHL did that in their ring year. It's not about who's missing but who's there.

In that regard, this Cowboys team is not borderline a good team and I don't think it matters whether he plays or not. And good DC has attack points all over that OL, it is the weakest link on the team.

 

[CouchCoach]

Let's also not forget the Cowboys lean on bringing players back too early. If he's the slightest hampered by that calf, either a re-injury is more likely or another injury caused by favoring that calf.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

The problem with sports injuries is not always re-injury of the same injury.

When you get injured in sports (or any time really), it is natural for you to mentally think about and protect that area of your body.

You can hurt your right foot and when you finally start the recovery/therapy process, you will have the tendency to put more weight on your left leg and knee to compensate even when its not necessary.

That combined with knowing that Martin will be back at guard by next season makes it not worth the risk of bringing him back this season, especially not at tackle.

I can certainly see that. Hopefully it's just a muscle strain, or such and he can fully recover from it...

 

[quickccc]

If his calf injury is serious enough to where he has to miss several games, I wouldn't even bother bringing martin back this year even if it came down to
the last game of reg. season to decide playoff fate.

Remember Kevin Durant calf injury after being rushed back (and mis-diagnosis) that ended up being a ruptured achilles injury?
I'm not exposing Martin to an even more lengthy, disasterous bigger injury for the sake of a small chance season.

 

[Ranching]

no reason for him to ...

What???? That's a wimpy attitude!!!

 

[Techsass]

I don't know Zack, but I think he might love playing Pro football. He just turned 30 a couple of weeks ago. Not that many years left to live the dream.

 

[CWR]

Let's be honest here, is Martin in or out the difference in winning and losing?

One trait of good team is the ability to shore up when they lose a player, PHL did that in their ring year. It's not about who's missing but who's there.

In that regard, this Cowboys team is not borderline a good team and I don't think it matters whether he plays or not. And good DC has attack points all over that OL, it is the weakest link on the team.

If we are being honest we lost our back up tackles and back ups to back ups. No team succeeds under those conditions.

Truly our run game and offense is a lot better when our o line isn't horrific and Martin goes a long ways towards stopping the bleeding there. His impact is greater than typical at this point in our depleted roster.

 

[JohnsKey19]

After the 3rd week of rest/rehab assuming he's been medically cleared to practice, they'll assess where they are in the division with 3 games left and go from there. If they are within a game and he's ben cleared, I believe they will try to get him ready for those final 2 games.

 

[FVSTONE]

I see no reason to bring him back this season unless 1) he is fully healthy and 2) the Cowboys somehow win a few games and have a chance at the playoffs.

Even then, I would not bring him back personally.

He is way too important to the future of the team to risk a more serious injury playing a position he will not be playing after this year.

This team isn't going anywhere this year so throw the youngsters out there and see who deserves to be brought back next year. Let all the Pro Bowlers get healthy and strong for a good push next season.