Cowboys' Jerry Jones on Zack Martin Contract: Micah Parsons Needs 'A Little Money'

When asked by ESPN's Ed Werder why the Dallas Cowboys haven't taken quarterback Dak Prescott's advice to pay holdout guard Zack Martin, owner and GM Jerry Jones indicated the team needed to leave room for future contracts.

Namely that of Micah Parsons.

"We've got a guy out here, (Micah) Parsons, who's going to need a little money," Jones said.

Outside linebacker Parsons is heading into the third season of a four-year, $17 million rookie deal he signed in 2021. He is not eligible for an extension until after the 2023 regular season.

Martin is considered one of the NFL's top offensive linemen and earns an average salary of $14 million, which he says leaves him "woefully underpaid relative to the market," per ESPN's Todd Archer. Seven guards are set to make a higher AAV next season.

"It's not about precedent, it's about facts," Jones continued, per The Athletic's Jon Machota. "We need the money to pay (Micah) Parsons. We need the money to pay the players that we got to pay in the future. That's a fact."

Parsons, the 2021 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, already has two Pro Bowl nods and two All-Pro selections under his belt. His extension will be the team's top priority in early 2024.

The Cowboys' more immediate problem, however, is Martin, who did not report for the start of training camp on Tuesday.

When asked about what could end the conflict between Martin and the team, Jones answered, "Nothing."

"He'll come to camp when he comes to camp. There's no resolution," Jones said. "There are a lot of consequences if he doesn't."

Under the NFL's current CBA, Martin will be fined $50,000 for each missed day of camp.

Martin has been one of the most consistent offensive linemen in football for nine years, starting all 17 games for the Cowboys last season and missing just nine games throughout his career. At the beginning of training camp, Jones sounded much more positive about his future with the team.

"I don't want to get into what we are doing here or not doing, I just want to say that [Martin] is in our plans," Jones told reporters Tuesday.

Jones' public shift in attitude four days later seems to indicate the Cowboys aren't yet considering caving to Martin's requests, and that the star guard's holdout could continue longer than originally expected.