Zack Martin, the nine-time All-Pro, will not be returning to the Dallas Cowboys this upcoming season. After an outstanding career, he leaves the sport for good. And the rest of the Cowboys offensive line has gigantic shoes to fill.
Zack Martin Retires From the Dallas Cowboys Offensive Line
The Difference Maker That Zack Martin Is
Even though the 2024 football season wasn’t his best work, Martin still maintained influence on the field. Very few guys can play for eleven years with several outstanding seasons. Some of his most notable work includes only seven holding penalties throughout his career, seven first team All-Pro designations, and nine Pro Bowl selections over eleven years.
As a whole, the Dallas Cowboys didn’t have a great year in 2024, but Martin still managed to leave his mark. His influence of his teammates is profound. Tyler Smith, who received a Pro Bowl designation this year, spoke highly of what he learned from Zack Martin. What he noted most was Martin’s consistency. No matter what, the man played ball. However, that level of consistency isn’t quite gone. Guys like Smith continue to carry that legacy. Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe, who spent their first year on the Cowboys offensive line this past season, are also likely to emulate the legend. Even T. J. Bass and Brock Hoffman, showed the same ferocity when they both stepped in for Martin throughout the season.
The Future of the Cowboys Offensive Line
It won’t be easy for the Cowboys to move on from Martin, but they’ll have to do it anyway. The O-Line showed promise throughout the season. Yes, they struggled to have synergy at the start, but they developed into a very strong group. In the first five games of the season, the Cowboys O-Line allowed 12 sacks and 56 pressures. This is with Zack Martin on the field and a healthy Dak Prescott who can scramble. From Week 13 to Week 17, the stats were 6 sacks and 44 pressures. Significant improvement throughout the season with a worse QB and shifts on the O-Line.
In other words, it is possible to fill that spot. The Cowboys already worked towards doing so. A better question would be whose more likely to be consistent: Bass or Hoffman? Or will they go outside of the organization in free agency or the draft? More than likely, they’ll stick to the devil they know instead of one they don’t and lean on Hoffman or Bass.
Cowboys Offensive Line with New Leadership
Also, there’s a new sheriff in town — Offensive Coordinator Klayton Adams. The new offensive coordinator was a linemen coach in previous years with the Cardinals. He’ll have a lot to say when it comes to tweaking this line to make it flow more seamlessly. Similarly, the new O-Line coach, Conor Riley will also have a lot of work to do. He comes from Kansas State University and worked with Cooper Beebe and Deuce Vaughn. It’s exciting and telling what adding him could mean for the team.
There’s a lot that the Cowboys can look forward to on the offensive line. Tons of young guys means the potential to develop excellent players. New faces mean the opportunity to tweak what didn’t work before. Although the Cowboys say goodbye to a legendary individual in Martin, there are still a lot of bright lights waiting for their chance to shine.
Main Image: Andrew Dieb – USA Today Sports
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