Jerry Sends Message to Cowboys Holdout Zack Martin: 'Integrity of Contract'

“This isn’t reflective of Zack Martin,'' Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says carefully in response to a CowboysSI.com question. "It’s just that you have to rely on the integrity of your contract.''

OXNARD, Calif. - The people in charge of the Dallas Cowboys quite clearly made a pledge to avoid commenting publicly about perennial All-Pro guard Zack Martin's contract holdout. But when CowboysSI.com posed a "general'' question to team owner Jerry Jones, he did indeed answer it - thereby sending a message to Martin.

“This isn’t reflective of Zack,'' Jones told us carefully. "It’s just that you have to rely on the integrity of your contract.''

Aha. And there is the core of the Cowboys negotiating position as they open up training camp in a contract dispute with arguably their best player. They began creating their "salary-cap pie'' years ago, featuring Martin being given (and having earned) the all-time grandest payday ever for a guard.

That contract extension in 2018 set the standard for what guards were paid, a deal that averages $14 million per season. Of course, along has come the leapfrogging, with other star guards - Indianapolis' Quenton Nelson and Atlanta's Chris Lindstrom - averaging $20 million per season.

Martin thinks the "old'' deal is antiquated. Jones thinks it's part of a well-planned "pie.'' And when we asked Jerry about "accelerating negotiations'' should Martin show up? The owner balked at the notion.

Martin will be fined for every day he misses, at a rate of $50,000 daily. There might be a point at which there is no "point,'' for either side, to remain unmoved. But that's where we are at the moment.

By the way, contrary to national media speculation, the Cowboys' new five-year contract extension with cornerback Trevon Diggs worth $97 million has nothing to do with Martin. Diggs' deal fits nicely into his planned "pie slice.''

Does Martin object to that (not to Diggs, but to the Cowboys' willingness to deal with the cornerback but not with the guard? Maybe, but there would be no "point'' to that, either. And the big fella might want to brace himself, because the Cowboys also intend to get Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb and Terence Steele to agree to "fitting'' deals.

We can argue against "the integrity of contracts'' by noting that teams cut players when they wish to - so where's the "integrity'' there? But the NFLPA, the players' union, agreed to all of the limitations that handcuff their own members.

And now, at least for the moment, the Cowboys are "limited,'' too, hoping they don't have to trudge on too long without the services of the talented Zack Martin.

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