Dallas Cowboys guard Zack Martin speaks on future amid retirement discussion

Before the 2024 season even began, Zack Martin was discussing the possibility of retiring. Eleven seasons in the NFL had taken a toll on the soon-to-be Hall of Fame guard, being a staple along the Dallas Cowboys offensive line. Now that the time has come to consider his future, everything is up in the air.

Martin is not focusing on whether or not he will be playing in 2025 for the time being, though. An ankle injury saw Martin miss a good chunk of the year, only playing in 10 games. Priority No. 1 is getting back to full health before making a decision on his status moving forward.

“I’m focused on getting healthy,” Martin said via 105.3 The Fan in Dallas. “I think people forget, I’m a free agent. So, I’m not under contract with anyone. First and foremost, I want to get healthy and then when free agency rolls around, see what’s going on, and then make a decision from there.”

Surgery on the ankle was required for Martin. As Dallas saw its season slip away, getting a head start on the recovery process was viewed as the best move forward. Having a lingering issue at this stage of someone’s career is more detrimental than helpful.

As Martin mentions, he is a free agent and could wind up playing for anybody. If Dallas were to let him go, this would be the second consecutive offseason where a long-time offensive lineman left the organization. Left tackle Tyron Smith was not resigned, instead playing for the New York Jets.

The Cowboys do have questions along the offensive line. Tyler Guyton did not perform up to expectations as a rookie, leaving concerns about left tackle. Only two guys — Tyler Smith and Cooper Beebe — may be locked in to start ahead of the 2025 season.

Right guard has not been a concern for Jerry Jones from the moment Martin was drafted back in 2014. Seven first-team All-Pros is more than the career holding penalties called against No. 70 — one of the more truly mind-blowing stats out there in football.

That kind of consistency will be desired by every team in the league. But nothing will get done unless Martin is able to pass a medical with the ankle injury. Making sure recovery goes well is a must before opening discussions on where to play when NFL free agency officially opens on March 12.