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Zack Martin and the Dallas Cowboys put an end today to the contract saga involving the superstar guard. Jerry Jones signed up Martin on a new contract, who'll be 32 when the season starts, but is still in his prime. Notably, he was a First-Team All-Pro in 2022 for the sixth time in his career.
A first-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, Zack Martin is considered one of the best guards of all time and will surely be a member of the Hall of Fame once he decides to end his NFL career.
For that reason, ESPN reporter Mina Kimes believes it was worth treating him differently in regard to a contract extension:
His new contract has reportedly added almost $10 million in new money to him and it's all guaranteed. In a season that's going to be extremely important for the Cowboys, they couldn't afford any headaches with one of their best players.
Zack Martin and other Cowboys starters won't play in the preseason
There was no starter in sight as the team started their preseason with a 28-23 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday, and we can expect things to continue this way for the next two weeks before the regular season kicks off.
This is an important year for the Dallas Cowboys, as they're set to be major competitors in a weak NFC conference. With Tom Brady retiring and Aaron Rodgers moving to the New York Jets, there aren't many competitors at their level — only the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers are true contenders currently.
They also need quarterback Dak Prescott to have a big year. He's entering the 2023 season with plenty of pressure on his shoulders after his dip in performance last year, culminating in an awful elimination in the Divisional Round.
When fans think about the best offensive lineman in the league, some names will always come up for specific positions, such as Lane Johnson as right tackle, Jason Kelce as center and Trent Williams as left tackle.
Zack Martin belongs in that category as the best right guard in the league, and avoiding distractions with him is a major victory for the franchise.
