3 Zack Martin replacements the Cowboys can upgrade with for 2025

It is the dawn of a new era in Dallas as long-time Cowboys offensive lineman, Zack Martin announces his plan to retire. After 11 seasons (first-round pick in 2014), nine Pro Bowls and seven first-team All-Pro selections, Martin let Jerry Jones and the team know that he’d reached the end of the line.

Martin is a guy who actually earned a tribute video and will surely receive that at the appropriate time. However, this is the NFL and no matter how magnificent a player was on the field, the league keeps on moving. And despite Martin’s overall greatness last season it was obvious that time had likely come where Dallas needed to move on.

So, having established this, let’s check out a few replacement options that will have some big shoes to fill, stepping in for Martin.

Brock Hoffman

Brock Hoffman might literally be the leader in the clubhouse for the role of replacing, future first-ballot Hall of Famer, Zack Martin.

Hoffman filled in last season when Martin went down with a season-ending ankle injury and played impressively well. He ended up starting seven games later in the year and was on the field when the offense began to click and he earned the respect of his teammates and fans. At just 25 years old, Hoffman has his prime years in full focus ahead of him and might be the best man for the job.

Hoffman was praised for the job he did filling in for Martin as he took full advantage of the opportunity. One would stand to think that his performance in 2024 will mean something once training camps roll back around this year.

He’s really a center and spent time at both interior positions for the Cowboys which is always a good sign. Having dynamic players like Hoffman who can shift gears and perform different responsibilities at a moment's notice is what Dallas needs. Because of this and already being on the team, Hoffman should have a leg on the competition once the 2025 campaign rolls around.

Kevin Zeitler

Kevin Zeitler might be as youthful as Hoffman at 34 years of age, but he does bring a wealth of NFL experience to the table. Zeitler would obviously be a short-term solution or might end up being a piece for depth but he was part of the Detroit Lions’ run last season.

He’s been part of some offenses that know how to run the ball consistently in Detroit and Baltimore over the past few years. As a former Pro Bowl selection, Zeitler would bring the knowledge and experience needed to help some of the younger guys along on the offensive line.

Zeitler could come in and help the Cowboys get back to running the ball more effectively. The lack of a consistent running game has been part of this team’s downfall for some time. Even when playing well enough to make the playoffs two years ago, they struggled to consistently put together great running performances. Despite who’s carried the ball recently, Rico Dowdle, Ezekiel Elliott, Tony Pollard, it hasn’t mattered, those consistent big gaps to run through haven’t always existed. This is where Zeitler could shine for Dallas and help them reclaim the fearsome ground game we haven’t seen in Big D in quite some time.

Patrick Mekari

Patrick Mekari played on the same line with Zeitler in Baltimore so there’s already some synergy between those two. Mekari is known for his versatility and being comfortably positioned pretty much anywhere along the o-line. Adding a player with Mekari’s versatility and willingness to play where needed would also add to the Cowboys’ depth.

While it will be nearly impossible to replace what Martin meant to this organization overall, Dallas has no choice and will have to start somewhere. With a player like Mekari, his strengths aren’t quite the same as Brockman and Zeitler. Mekari’s strengths tend to lean more toward the passing game which isn’t exaclty a bad thing.

The NFL is a passing league now and the Cowboys have a franchise quarterback they’re paying an average of $60 million per year and you need to keep him upright. Prescott missed the back half of last season with a torn hamstring. Having a versaitle lineman like Mekari in pass protection is exactly what’s needed once Prescott is back on the field.