Cowboys’ Zack Martin ranked second-best guard entering 2021
The Dallas Cowboys offensive line was hit hard by injuries in 2020. Tyron Smith missed 14 games with a neck injury and La’el Collins was the entire season with a hip issue. The two starting tackle spots weren’t the only areas that got hit, as perennial All-Pro guard Zack Martin was out for six games with a calf strain.
Pro Football Focus has released its top 32 players at several positions. Smith and Collins didn’t fare so well, ranking 22nd and 25th respectively for offensive tackles. However, despite missing the most games he’s ever missed in a season, Martin is ranked second for all guards, just behind Quenton Nelson of the Indianapolis Colts.
“If there’s a player who runs Nelson close, it’s Zack Martin, who has continued to excel despite the Dallas offensive line collapsing around him,” said Sam Monson. “Martin has allowed one sack over the last two years and had earned a PFF run-blocking grade of 92.2 when he got injured in Week 12 of the 2020 campaign.”
Martin has been the definition of consistency since entering the NFL in 2014, starting all 104 games that he’s played in. Not only has his availability for the most part been excellent but also his discipline. Martin has only been flagged six times each for either a false start or a holding call, accumulating just 17 penalties in seven seasons, and in 2020, he wasn’t flagged once in the 10 games he was on the field.
The former first-round pick was as dominant as any offensive lineman over his first six years in the NFL (2014-2019). Martin was selected to the Pro Bowl and was been named All-Pro in each of those seasons. During that span, he became only the sixth player in history to have at least four first-team All-Pro selections and six Pro Bowls in his first six seasons. The other players on that list are Lawrence Taylor, Barry Sanders, Emmitt Smith, Patrick Willis, and Aaron Donald.
Martin is as good as any guard in the NFL, but he showed his versatility last season. Due to the ravenous injuries on the offensive line, Martin slid over one spot to right tackle and continued to maintain his dominance.
Smart money says a healthy Martin in 2021 will add another Pro Bowl as well as an All-Pro selection to his resume which is on a fast track to the Hall of Fame. The Cowboys will need it as they piece back together their offensive line and hope it gets back to being one of the best in the business like in years past.
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