Could a deal between the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys be possible for one of the league’s most dominant players?
As usual this time of year, there are holdouts from training camp that leave teams willing and able to move on from them before the start of the regular season. That allows others waiting in the wings to get a major piece to their championship puzzle right before meaningful games are played.
Perhaps one of those situations is brewing in Oxnard.
Dallas and All-Pro guard Zack Martin has been in a contract standoff over the last few weeks. Martin is entering the second-to-last year of a long-term extension he signed back in 2018. Martin’s per-year average of $14 million is just eighth on the list of guards across the NFL. It’s something the Notre Dame star is looking to change. By sitting out of camp though, the Cowboys have already incurred fines for Martin upwards of $600,000. Owner Jerry Jones has also made it clear that he’s not willing to budge on this matter either.
“Not really. Not really. Surprise is really not the word there. It’s very costly and so that’s, that’s where we are. Huge, significant ramifications … by anybody’s math,” Jones said, via Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
With contract talks at a standstill, there is certainly a possibility that Martin has played his last down with the Cowboys and a trade could come whenever Jones is willing to discuss a deal. However unlikely it may be, the Jets are certainly one of those teams that should be willing to pursue Martin at all costs.
In terms of room, the Jets have a clear need along the offensive line, as well as the cap space to get a deal negotiated with the long-term Cowboy. This is also why future Hall-of-Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers took a pay cut this past offseason: New York has more than enough ammo to get a deal done for another Hall-of-Fame player. The Jets have around $24 million in cap space per OverThe Cap, and other contract restructures could lead to even more room for the team to add key parts to the offense.
They still own a first-round pick in 2025 and depending on how much Rodgers plays in 2023, a top pick in 2024 as well. That alone should leave plenty of room to get a deal done.
Martin would also fit the Jets’ offensive scheme like a glove. He has had experience at right tackle throughout his career and played well doing so. If he were brought in, the Jets could use Alijah Vera-Tucker in his more natural position while anchoring the right side of the offensive line with one of the best players of the last decade. New York could also switch the two of them and have Vera-Tucker play at tackle and move Martin to his more natural position at guard.
New York’s clearest weakness through the start of training camp has been the offensive line while they wait for Duane Brown to come off the PUP list, and Mekhi Becton to get back to as close to 100% as he can. As the team waits, having an All-Pro, Hall-of-Fame caliber player ready for any single position should more than help the Jets in the long run of a grueling 2023 season.
There isn’t an easy answer to fix their offensive line, but the Jets could find a major solution in their path with Zack Martin…if they can get the Cowboys to the negotiating table.
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