While sitting and staring at a completely white screen trying to think about what to write, I couldn’t help but think about Zack Martin and the massive contract he just signed with the Dallas Cowboys. I have absolutely no problem with the money he received, it was well earned. He has arguably been the best guard in the NFL and deserved to be paid as such.
No matter how hard I tried,I just couldn’t get Zack Martin out of my head for some reason. Maybe it was because we shared the last name or the same birth date. I just kept thinking about how good he has been since entering the league and started wonder to myself if he is the best offensive lineman to ever play for the Dallas Cowboys.
I know that’s high praise considering all of the offensive lineman who have played for the Cowboys organization throughout the years, but no one has been able to do what Zack Martin has already done in his short NFL career.
Since entering the NFL, Zack Martin has been voted into the Pro-Bowl in each of his first four seasons. No other Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman have been able to accomplish that and that’s saying something considering some of the greats who have worn the star. There’s actually only one other offensive lineman that comes to mind who has even come close to accomplishing that… Larry Allen.
If you don’t know who Larry Allen is, then we just can’t be friends. He is arguably the best offensive lineman to ever play in the NFL and I consider myself extremely lucky to have been fortunate enough to have seen him play.
Larry Allen was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013 and for good reason. Not only was he one of the most physically strong offensive lineman to ever play, evidenced by his 705 lb benchpress and 905 lb squat, but he was extremely athletic as well. It helped him earn 11 Pro-Bowls, 10 of which were with the Cowboys, and 7 First-team All-Pro selections.
It was hard to imagine any other Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman ever being able to earn those kind of accolades. A lot of things have to fall in place to even have a chance. For one, in today’s game it’s difficult to play for the same team for a decade. Then, you not only have to continue to dominate on the field, but have to stay healthy that entire time.
Larry Allen was able to accomplish all of those things during his career that spanned more than a decade in the NFL. If Zack Martin wants to be mentioned in the same breath as Larry Allen, he’s going to have to follow in the Hall of Famer’s footsteps in more way than one.
As mentioned earlier, Zack Martin is off to a great start. His four Pro-Bowl appearances have him on pace to tie Larry Allen’s 10 Pro-Bowls with the Cowboys. Martin is now under contract for six more years, so if he is able to continue his current streak, he can easily come away with a tie.
Now, I don’t know if Zack Martin is better than Larry Allen. I’ll leave that up for you to decide. I will say that Martin is already considered the second best offensive guard to ever play for the Dallas Cowboys, at least in my opinion. Maybe in time he can earn that #1 ranking.
