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Zack Martin is one of the very best offensive linemen that the NFL has to offer. It’s for this reason that the following is, at the very least, concerning.
According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, Martin was absent from Tuesday’s voluntary OTA session and it’s unknown whether he’ll report to any.
All-Pro right guard Zack Martin did not take part in Tuesday’s OTA and it’s not clear if he will work in any of them, according to multiple sources. The Cowboys and Martin’s agents have been in talks regarding a long-term deal over the last few weeks.... https://t.co/nO8FuPS57Q
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) May 23, 2018
When perusing the photos from Tuesday’s OTA on DallasCowboys.com people were wondering where Zack was at certain moments, and now we have our answer.
2018 is a contract year for Zack Martin. Unlike his first-round offensive linemen counterparts Tyron Smith and Travis Frederick, he did not get his long-term contract during the training camp leading up to his fourth season with the Cowboys.
It made sense, and still does, to trust that a deal will ultimately get done with Zack, but of the trio he’s a part of, he is arguably the best and part of an NFL draft class chock full of talent.
Zack was drafted in 2014 when studs like Aaron Donald (also absent from Tuesday) and Odell Beckham Jr. (reported to Giants OTAs) were taken. Fellow 2014 draftee Sammy Watkins once said he believed the class would reset the market, maybe they will.
Whatever the 2014 draft class is going to do, the Cowboys need to take care of their first-round pick soon. The line was reenforced this offseason when Dallas drafted Connor Williams to play the guard spot opposite of Zack. That’s the portion of the team that is the most stable. Any hiccups there should be avoided at all costs, no pun intended.