Zack Martin might be the reason we have no running game

[Sydla]

Pretty short sighted view. How about instead of Martin you live with Bass at guard and you free up money to add Josh Jacobs to help with the run game and a mid level DT to help with the run game.

Your first mistake is thinking that with the money saved they would have signed Josh Jacobs and a DT.

Why? Because they could have those guys AND Martin. People buying the Jones' crying about being cap poor are being gaslit.

 

[iceberg]

One year ago one of the highest paid guards in football holds out so that he can be the highest paid guard in football. One year later people are saying this will be his last year in Dallas. If you want to know why we can never seem to get over the hump look no further than situations like this. Salary cap money is not treated with the respect it deserves. Veteran players on the decline are treated with too much respect.

You want to know why we have no run game? Dude might very well be the biggest reason why. Tubby better get it in gear and start pancaking people.

The sickest part of it all is that this is his last year under contract but he already counts for 11 million against next years cap and 17 million against the year after that.

That is a modern day future Cowboy hall of famer for ya. A burden for years to come.

man, you just pick a target and apply 100% accountability.

next up - Dak may be the reason we don't have a qb game.

at least that one would be right.

 

[morat1959]

Wow! Martin is the least of the downfall of the running game or any other phase of this inept organization.

 

[gtb1943]

Wow! Martin is the least of the downfall of the running game or any other phase of this inept organization.

people hate on certain players; one of those in this thread has claimed martin was crap for three years now

 

[TheMightyVanHalen]

I've never seen such hate for a player.

Aren't you the crazy man who wanted to pay Dalvin Tomlinson's fine for his cheap shot on Dak? Haha Dude. Stop!

 

[jblaze2004]

Jerry is useless when it comes to roster/cap management.

That is a fact. We love our guys toooooo much.

 

[Bigrandrn]

One year ago one of the highest paid guards in football holds out so that he can be the highest paid guard in football. One year later people are saying this will be his last year in Dallas. If you want to know why we can never seem to get over the hump look no further than situations like this. Salary cap money is not treated with the respect it deserves. Veteran players on the decline are treated with too much respect.

You want to know why we have no run game? Dude might very well be the biggest reason why. Tubby better get it in gear and start pancaking people.

The sickest part of it all is that this is his last year under contract but he already counts for 11 million against next years cap and 17 million against the year after that.

That is a modern day future Cowboy hall of famer for ya. A burden for years to come.

I wonder if part is scheme….our run game hasn’t been good in years, no matter which linemen we have, even with through pro bowlers/all pros. We just never open holes or have good schemes to open holes.

 

[zrinkill]

What the hell ........ did the thread get changed ?

 

[LysleE]

Is Zack on the decline? Probably…most likely. But is he a liability on the OL that some people are alluding? I don’t think so…Dallas does need him to play well as he is the rock of the OL and the younger players need his veteran presence. He has had a great career and he will be hard to replace as a player.

 

[big dog cowboy]

He has had a great career and he will be hard to replace as a player.

Bass is ready to go.

 

[John813]

Martin is declining. It happens.
I think the bigger issue, potentially, is the scheme.

The line was declining a bit on the ZBS schemes under Philbin, but under Solari the line hasn't bounced back and IMO looks worse. Solari has been in the league long enough and has coached man and ZBS blocking schemes. Has the game passed him by? Does he have the right players for what him and Schott want to run?

The 2010's line was perfect for Callahan as all 5 were quick enough to get outside or the second level, while being strong and being sound technical wise. The worst player was Doug Free, and he was above average most years.
The staple of the mid 2010's line was the Outside ZBS. They ran it to death in 2014 with Murray. It wasn't until 2021 or 2022 that the Cowboys started to be under the average success hits for Outside ZBS. But they also ran power and inside ZBS, but the bread and butter was the OZBS. The line could road grade and then lock down pass blocking. Not going to see that level of play among all 5 guys for a bit.

 

[zrinkill]

Why not post the real people to blame ....... Jerry Jones and Will McClay

 

[Jarntt]

One year ago one of the highest paid guards in football holds out so that he can be the highest paid guard in football. One year later people are saying this will be his last year in Dallas. If you want to know why we can never seem to get over the hump look no further than situations like this. Salary cap money is not treated with the respect it deserves. Veteran players on the decline are treated with too much respect.

You want to know why we have no run game? Dude might very well be the biggest reason why. Tubby better get it in gear and start pancaking people.

The sickest part of it all is that this is his last year under contract but he already counts for 11 million against next years cap and 17 million against the year after that.

That is a modern day future Cowboy hall of famer for ya. A burden for years to come.

So Diggs is the #1 reason that we can't stop the run and Martin is the #1 reason that we can't run the ball. Congrats on having the two worst Football takes of the week

No, Martin isn't the elite top dog that he once was, but that doesn't make the statement any less silly.

 

[McKDaddy]

When I look back at the tape am I seeing an all pro G? No. Is he even living up to his contract right now? Probably not. He is still probably a top 30 G in the NFL

All Pro should mean you were the very best at your position. He's not & hasn't been for some time.

Does that mean he is horrible overall? No.

Pass blocking has been his stronger suit during his decline now he's getting beat there more often. He has been getting little to no movement in the run game the last few years and his ability to move has been compromised which impacts what you can ask \ expect him to do when a play needs him to pull.

At the end of the day, a compromised player is a compromised player. Making it easier for defenses to prepare as they know what we can & can't do.

 

[McKDaddy]

It just baffles me how some of you guys think that players who have put in the effort to become a perineal all-pro over a decade long-NFL career that someone like Zack Martin has all of a sudden just wake up one day, evilly twirl their mustache, and think "how can I milk Jerry for all he's worth." The OP of this thread may be the worst, I've been on this site for years and I don't think I've ever seen him make one positive post about anyone or anything. It's all just doom and gloom and all these guys who have had the work ethic and countenance to become all-pro players are all robbing Jerry and are lazy, and this and that. It's just ridiculous how many armchair fans sit here and talk about pro athletes and call them losers when they couldn't handle a single week of the work they do.

I understand your comment but you simply can't discount a littany of factors such as:

Agent twirling their mustache
Living in a world of entitlement & egos
It's a job. They are trying to make what they can, while they can.
They do have a boss that has a track record of over compensating core players.

Regardless of the motivations, one thing that you can't convince me of is Zack not knowing his skills were eroding. He absolutely knew he was going to be hard pressed to live up to the contract he already had & yet he chose to reach for more compensation. That's not exactly being innocent.

 

[McKDaddy]

But in typical Jerry fashion he WAY overpays for past performance in future years, when a player is not likely to continue to perform at such an elite level.

and the players & agents know it

 

[atlantacowboy]

Well, it could the fault of one of the best guards in the NFL over the past 5 years............or lack rb talent. hmmm. tough one!

 

[shabazz]

I've appreciated Martin all the way up to him holding the team hostage with his holdout so to hell with any sacred cows on this team.

The question for EVERY player should be " are they worth their salary cap burden?"

That goes from Dak all the way down to Aubrey

 

[Coogiguy03]

I've appreciated Martin all the way up to him holding the team hostage with his holdout so to hell with any sacred cows on this team.

The question for EVERY player should be " are they worth their salary cap burden?"

That goes from Dak all the way down to Aubrey

hell no and yes to the last thought

 

[TexasBacon]

I understand your comment but you simply can't discount a littany of factors such as:

Agent twirling their mustache
Living in a world of entitlement & egos
It's a job. They are trying to make what they can, while they can.
They do have a boss that has a track record of over compensating core players.

Regardless of the motivations, one thing that you can't convince me of is Zack not knowing his skills were eroding. He absolutely knew he was going to be hard pressed to live up to the contract he already had & yet he chose to reach for more compensation. That's not exactly being innocent.

You're just assuming someone at the top of his craft "knew" his skills would erode. You are literally making stuff up and saying you know what someone is doing who has a history of having the highest character and work ethic. There is NOTHING in the way of proof that you can muster to validate your opinion of what Zack Martin was doing and thinking. It's just angry fans trying to find blame in every little corner for the frustrated way this team makes all of us feel. I get that, and empathize with it. These guys are competitors at the highest level. I highly doubt any of them know or can admit when they start to decline, nor would most of them try to fleece their owner because of that. They are just like the rest of us in our careers, trying to make the most they can using their resume and skillset.