After signing Zack Martin to a new 6-year, $84 million deal that will likely keep him in a Cowboys uniform for the balance of his career (the end of the 2024 season), the Cowboys can now continue to lay out their immediate future with regards to one of the most complex activities of any organization: Staying on top of their financial picture in a way that allows flexibility and the ability to build a sustainable roster in a sport that requires it.



Each league has its own financial model and the complexities of the NFL system requires plenty of time, spreadsheets, and projections about how the puzzle all fits together in perfect harmony. Critics will often suggest that the Cowboys have walked this tightrope poorly since the salary cap was brought into the sport back in the 1990s, whereas loyalists will defend them and say “Jerry always gets the deal done.”



Clearly, both sides have evidence on their side as the Cowboys always do seem to get the big...