Cowboys make Zack Martin NFL's highest-paid guard
FRISCO, Texas (AP) - A person with direct knowledge of the deal says the Dallas Cowboys and Zack Martin have agreed to terms on an $84 million, six-year contract extension that will make the two-time All-Pro the highest-paid guard in the NFL.
The deal includes $40 million guaranteed money and will be tacked on to the final year of his rookie contract, the person told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the deal hasn't been announced. Martin will be under contract through 2024.
The sides got close enough to an agreement over the weekend that Martin went through the first two days of mandatory minicamp after missing all nine voluntary offseason practices as negotiations that got serious last year kept dragging.
The $14 million average on the new contract surpasses the $13.3 million average on the $66.5 million, five-year contract signed by Jacksonville's Andrew Norwell in March.
Martin, the 16th overall pick in 2014, was an All-Pro as a rookie when DeMarco Murray led the NFL in rushing for the NFC East champions. He repeated the feat two years later when rookie Ezekiel Elliott was the league rushing leader for another division champion.
The 27-year-old Martin has made the Pro Bowl in each of his four seasons.
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