Take it from Jerry Jones himself, Zack Martin.
You’re not as important as Micah Parsons.
The 32-year-old Martin, an eight-time All-Pro at guard (all but one season he’s played in the NFL), has not yet reported to Cowboys training camp and is holding out as he enters his 10th season with the team.
He still has two years left on his current deal, with an average annual salary of $14 million per year, making him the eighth-highest-paid guard in the NFL.
He’s outperformed that deal and wants to adjust his contract more in line with his stature.
But Jones, the team’s brazen longtime owner, left little room for interpretation.
It’s not happening.
“It’s not about precedent. It’s about facts,” Jones told reporters on Saturday. “We need the money to pay Parsons. We need the money to pay the players that we got to pay in the future. It’s a fact. It’s not even a philosophy. It’s just a fact.”
Entering his third year after the Cowboys drafted him No. 12-overall in the 2021 draft, Parsons, 24, has emerged as one of the best defensive players in the league at linebacker and edge rusher.
After signing cornerback Trevon Diggs to a large extension, securing Parsons’ long-term future is likely the next biggest priority for the Cowboys.
Martin started all 17 regular season games last year and did not surrender a sack, per Pro Football Focus.
He started both playoff games as well.
But Jones sees no reason for a raise.
“Those dollars are there and we have this at this level, and if you redid all the contracts, then you never could put a roster together,” Jones said.
He also knows that other than not showing up, there’s not much Martin can do about it.
“He’ll come to camp when he comes to camp,” Jones said. “There’s no resolution. There are a lot of consequences if he doesn’t. … He’s been at the top of the money all the way through, drafted high and got a lot of money, got a lot of money over the years. It’s just hard to get it all. The bottom line is, nothing needs to happen.”