It’s not often that NFL linemen are moved at the league’s annual trade deadline. The reason is fairly obvious: A line is a group that must learn to play together, to feed off each other’s strengths and cover up each other’s weaknesses. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, there have been a lot more of the latter than the former.
That’s why a notion presented at the USA Today site Cowboys Wire is especially intriguing. While there has been much hand-wringing over what the team could bring in at the trade deadline to cover its many holes, maybe the way to think of this season is as a reset year. And in that context maybe the best thing to do would be to sell off the pieces that teams around the league most value.
No, Dak Prescott, Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb are not going anywhere. But over his career, the best Cowboys player outside those three is likely right guard Zack Martin, who has been a starter since his rookie year in 2014 and has been a nine-time Pro Bowler and seven-time All Pro at his position.
And maybe it’s time to put him on the trade market.
Cowboys Going Young Up Front
At age 33, Martin has not been at his usual level this season, and rates a grade of only 68.1 at Pro Football Focus, which is 29th out of 79 tackles in the NFL. Part of that is the youth on the Cowboys line, where rookie Cooper Beebe is taking over at center and fellow rookie Tyler Guyton is at left tackle. Part of it is a shift in scheme.
But some of it is just Martin’s age. And it may be time to ship him somewhere in which he has a chance to win, while also netting a draft pick for Dallas. As analyst KD Drummond wrote in an article titled, “5 Cowboys who Jerry Jones should consider trading before deadline:”
“Martin is not the same player who has been considered the best in the league for the majority of his career. He’s a first ballot Hall of Famer who has set the standard for interior line play for his generation. At this point, he’s still well above replacement level and there’s a very strong chance his decline is related to the scheme he’s being asked to play under Mike Solari.
“A fresh start could easily see a career rejuvenation.”
Zack Martin a Plug-&-Play OL Option
Again, it is not easy to trade an offensive lineman in the middle of a season. But Martin’s talent level and experience should make him an exception, a plug-and-play lineman who can bolster the many teams that are in need of better play up front.
If the Cowboys want to truly go young on the line, trading Martin might be a good start.
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