Zack Martin’s retirement is a moment of celebration for the franchise guard, but a big problem for the Dallas Cowboys.
Zack Martin took his time. The Dallas Cowboys franchise offensive guard took well over a month to mull it over. In the end, he decided it was his moment to walk away. Of course, while the future Hall of Famer has nothing but time to look forward to, the Cowboys now have another layer of problems to deal with.
Over the years, Martin helped deliver division titles for Dak Prescott over the Philadelphia Eagles and even had Tony Romo’s back for a couple of seasons. In his career, he logged nine Pro Bowls in 11 years. Even in his final year, he was a productive member of the team, earning a 65.6 PFF grade, which ranked 48th out of 135 guards.
Of course, every moment wasn’t perfect, with training camp reports raising doubts about Martin’s availability over a contract dispute in 2023. However, that moment won’t be what people remember him for. That said, with Martin out the door, the Cowboys have to deal with the reality they face. Here’s a look at the fallout from Martin’s exit.
#1 – Damaged running game
Martin cracked open holes in the offensive line for backs like Ezekiel Elliott in both of his stints with the team. He also helped out DeMarco Murray before that. Now, that’s gone. As a result, the offensive line as a whole will suffer.
Running lanes will be smaller, making it more difficult for backs like Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn to break something big. In a potential disaster scenario that can’t be ruled out, the pass rushers could get to the backfield before the running back can run through it. Depending on if Jones can find a suitable replacement, running a stretch play to the right side might be out of the question.
#2 – Adds item to already filling offseason shopping list
The offseason shopping list was already bloating and with Martin’s retirement, Jerry Jones will be underwater trying to improve the team. At this point, with a Hall of Famer out the door, it would most likely take a first or second-round pick to have any chance of filling the void.
Linemen are not easy to find and even harder for general managers to rationalize spending a premium pick on while potential stars like Ashton Jeanty sit available for the picking. There’s also a perennial shortage of linemen so if Jones doesn’t jump, finding a solution is unlikely. Drafting linemen is almost like paying rent. It’s expensive and a foundational piece, but is rarely the most exciting item in any budget.
#3 – More risk for Dak Prescott
Without Martin to watch his back, Prescott could see more pressure up the gut. Depending on the job Jerry Jones does with replacing the lineman, Prescott might be forced to go into plays planning to move. It’s hard to have much success if a quarterback is planning on pressure.
It’s next to impossible to complete a deep play if the line can’t hold up as well. Considering Prescott’s recent injury history, any pressure on a consistent basis could be a disaster waiting to happen. In other words, the absence will manifest in any Prescott’s production delivered under pressure.
