Cowboys’ need to pay Zack Martin just amplified tenfold

After an unfortunate camp injury, the Cowboys are under even more pressure to extend disgruntled guard Zack Martin before the 2023 season.

What could be worse than a very public contract dispute with a star player for the Cowboys right now? A training camp injury.

In the Cowboys’ final practice before their preseason opener against the Jaguars on Saturday, veteran offensive lineman Chuma Edoga went down with a leg injury and had to get carted off the field.

Edoga was signed earlier this offseason as extra O-line depth, mostly working out at tackle during training camp. At the time of his injury, Edoga was on the right side when he collapsed and grabbed his knee during a run play.

No specific updates have been revealed on the severity of Edoga’s presumed injury. According to The Dallas Morning News, the initial belief in Cowboys camp is that Edoga hyperextended his right knee, which would be a huge relief compared to the worse alternatives.

Either way, Edoga’s incident should fire a warning shot at Jerry Jones and the Cowboys front office to shore up the team’s thinning offensive line corps ahead of 2023, and that includes tying up loose ends with Zack Martin.

Cowboys’ offensive line: Chuma Edoga gets carted off, Zack Martin watches from afar

Martin, an eight-time Pro Bowler, has been holding out of training camp so far this summer due to contract drama. The long-time Cowboys guard has two years left on his deal and is set to make $13.5 million this year. Martin’s gripe is that he’s being “woefully underpaid” since he’s making $7 million less in annual average salary compared to the league’s highest-paid guards.

Dallas has since hardened its stance on not paying the 32-year-old Martin with Jerry Jones claiming the team has bigger priorities in mind, like paying Micah Parsons and other stars in the future. In light of Jones’ frustrating stubbornness, Edoga’s recent camp injury could serve as extra leverage for Martin to secure a deal this year.

The likelihood of Martin holding out for the 2023 season feels low. But are the Cowboys really going to treat one of their most important offensive players like dirt? CeeDee Lamb, who will likely get his lucrative extension in the coming years, won’t be nearly as effective on the field without Martin’s pass-blocking dominance and presence in the trenches.

Elite offensive linemen aren’t merely plucked out of drafts or free agency. They’re groomed and developed season after season, and if a team has finally unlocked a former first-round pick’s run-stopping potential or turned a hidden gem into a cornerstone piece in the trenches, it doesn’t let that kind of talent walk away.

Sadly, the Cowboys might have to learn their lessons the hard way.