Cowboys to make OL Zack Martin highest-paid guard in NFL history - report
The Dallas Cowboys are getting ready to make Zack Martin the highest-paid guard in NFL history, according to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The #Cowboys are giving star G Zack Martin a 6-year contract extension that makes him the highest-paid guard with the largest guarantee at his position in NFL history, source said. Richly deserved, as Dallas locks up another key building block on the O-line.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 11, 2018
Rapoport said the team is zeroing in on a six-year extension for Martin that will give him the highest salary and largest guarantee for a player at his position.
Andrew Norwell signed a five-year, $66.5 million deal — $13.3 million per year — with the Jacksonville Jaguars in March that made him the highest-paid guard in the league, so Martin is in for a nice payday if he tops that.
Highest Average Annual Value – Current OL Contracts:
G Andrew Norwell $13.3M
OT Russell Okung $13.25M
OT Trent Williams $13.2M— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 13, 2018
In addition to being the highest-paid guard in the NFL, he’ll also be the highest-paid player on his team, according to Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Pro Bowl tackle Tyron Smith is currently tops with an average salary of $12.2 million.
Martin was expected to show up for the team’s minicamp Tuesday to sign the record deal.
Cowboys VP Stephen Jones at team’s rookie luncheon was asked about Zack Martin’s contract situation: “It’s awfully close. I hope he’ll be out at (minicamp) tomorrow.”
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) June 11, 2018
He skipped OTAs the past three weeks as he pushed for an extension. Martin was set to earn $9.3 million in 2018 in the final year of his rookie deal.
The 6-foot-4, 315-pound lineman has been among the best guards in the league since he was drafted 16th overall in 2014 out of Notre Dame.
He was selected to the Pro Bowl and the All-Pro team in each of his four seasons (first-team All-Pro in 2014 and 2016, second team in 2015 and 2017).
HOF contract for a HOF player
— Emmanuel Garza (@emangarza7) June 11, 2018
Martin is also reliable, having started all 64 games since he came into the NFL.
Pro Football Focus ranked him third among offensive linemen last season with a grade of 89.8. It said he “surrendered just 11 total pressures all year and had six perfect games in pass protection.”
His chief competition for the title of best guard in the NFL is the Ravens’ Marshal Yanda (who had a 92.0 grade in 2016 but was injured last year) and the Steelers’ David DeCastro (who had a 91.1 rating in 2017).
The Cowboys are coming off a disappointing season in which they failed to make the playoffs and saw their divisional rivals in Philadelphia hoist the Lombardi Trophy. Many Dallas starters, including much of the offensive line, struggled to play as well as they had during a 13-3 campaign in 2016.
Martin is one notable exception, and he’s about to be rewarded for his consistent excellence.
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