Cooper Neill/Getty Images
Dallas Cowboys‘ six-time All-Pro guard and team captain, Zack Martin, is reportedly considering skipping the upcoming training camp.
Martin is dissatisfied with his current contract and with the team’s lack of interest in restructuring it, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Martin, widely recognized as one of the league’s top offensive linemen, believes that he is significantly underpaid in comparison to market standards.
With the NFL’s highest-paid guards earning substantially more, Martin is scheduled to receive about $7 million less this season.
Cowboys’ six-time All-Pro guard and team captain Zack Martin is considering not reporting to training camp due to his unhappiness with his contract and the team’s lack of interest in restructuring it, per sources. Martin believes he is “woefully underpaid relative to the market.”… pic.twitter.com/mKV2W9hPPZ
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 19, 2023
The timing of this contract dispute is particularly notable, given the announcement earlier today that Zack Martin has been inducted into the esteemed EA Sports’ Madden 99Club.
This recognition means that he will hold a remarkable overall player rating of 99 in the forthcoming edition of Madden 24, slated for release in August.
1️⃣st Guard since '03 😯 #Madden24
Welcome to the #99Club @thegob70 👏 pic.twitter.com/G2JXuFryHv
— Madden NFL 24 (@EAMaddenNFL) July 19, 2023
While the Cowboys’ management has been open about getting contract extensions with other players like CeeDee Lamb, Trevon Diggs, and Terence Steele, Martin’s situation presents a new contractual challenge for the team just ahead of the start of training camp.
In addition to this matter, owner Jerry Jones has been in talks about restructuring the contract of star quarterback Dak Prescott. It appears that contract negotiations will be a significant focus for the Cowboys management as they head into the crucial training camp period.