Jerry Jones tells Zack Martin they "need money" to pay Dallas Cowboys teammate instead - The Mirror

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has spoken about Zack Martin's contract negotiations with the front office as the guard seeks a restructured deal ahead of the 2023 NFL season

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says there is no update on contract negotiations with Zack Martin.

Martin is yet to attend training camp for the Cowboys as he looks to secure a new long-term contract. The 32-year-old has spent nine seasons with the NFC East, after being drafted with the No.16 overall pick in 2014.

The guard currently earns $14 million (£10.9 million) per year on his deal with the Cowboys, which still has two years left to run. However, Martin is said to be looking for a salary increase to be in line with the top earns in his position in the league.

Martin is the eighth highest-paid guard in the NFL, and has been a key figure for the Cowboys during his time with the franchise. However, his future in Dallas remains uncertain as contract talks go on.

With every practice session that Martin misses, he will be fined $50,000 in accordance with the new collective bargaining agreement. And Now Jones has provided an update on how things are going in terms of negotiations.

The Cowboys owner gave an honest answer when asked by the team’s website if there had been any progress on negotiations with Martin over a new deal.

"Nothing," Jones said. "He'll come to camp when he comes to camp. There's no resolution. There are a lot of consequences if he doesn't. We all know what those are."

Jones is fully aware of the importance that Martin has within the Cowboys roster. But the team’s owner also made it clear that there are other players within the team that are vital to the franchise’s future.

The 80-year-old named Micah Parsons is one example of the Cowboys’ young stars that will need to be paid accordingly in the future. Parsons is a third-year linebacker and the No. 12 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Parison is about to enter the second half of his rookie deal, and was mentioned by Jones as a reason why they are yet to agree to fresh terms with Martin.

"He's (Martin) been at the top of the money the whole time," Jones said. "If you make that adjustment, then you don't have the money to pay the guys on their first contract. It has nothing to do with him."

"It's not about precedent, it's about facts. We need the money to pay Parsons. We need the money to pay the players that we got to pay in the future. That's a fact."