A source tells Todd Archer of ESPN that contract talks between the Cowboys and G Zack Martin should take place much sooner in the offseason than they did last year.
Martin’s representatives and the Cowboys held talks during the offseason and into training camp regarding an extension, but negotiations never really progressed very far and Martin ultimately shut things down to focus on the 2017 season.
“I think we had good talks,” Martin said. “It was just at the time, I didn’t want it to linger during the season and think about it. Kind of held it and played this year so hopefully we can talk and get something done here this offseason.”
Archer expects Martin’s next contract to surpass the five-year, $60 million deal signed by Browns G Kevin Zeitler last year that included $31.5 million guaranteed.
Martin added that he’s hoping to finish out his career in Dallas.
“I was lucky enough to be drafted here and I want to be here for my career,” Martin said. “Hopefully we can get something worked out.”
Martin, 27, is a former first-round pick of the Cowboys back in 2014. He is in the final year of his four-year, $8.967 million contract and will to make a base salary of $1,642,881 for the 2017 season.
The Cowboys picked up his fifth-year option during the offseason that will run them around $9.341 million for the 2018 season. Although, this figure is guaranteed only for injury and won’t prevent them from working on a long-term extension over the next year.
In 2017, Martin appeared in all 15 games for the Cowboys and is rated by Pro Football Focus as the No. 2 guard out of 80 qualifying players.
We’ll have more regarding Martin as the news is available.
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