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Zack Martin
Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2025 2:21 am
by JameisBrownston
Martin announced his retirement today. Obviously he is a HOFer, but with the HOF's blind spot for interior OL, does Martin still make it first ballot, or wait a year or two?
Incredible stat I saw today: Martin has more All-Pros than holding calls in his career.
Re: Zack Martin
Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2025 10:19 am
by JohnTurney
JameisBrownston wrote: ↑Sat Feb 22, 2025 2:21 am
does Martin still make it first ballot, or wait a year or two?
first ballot, IMO. Voters should and will see that he's a cut above
Re: Zack Martin
Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2025 1:02 pm
by Reaser
First ballot.
Re: Zack Martin
Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2025 4:33 pm
by SeahawkFever
He deserves to be first ballot. The only reason why he wouldn't get in on the first ballot would probably be that he played guard.
No knock on Martin, but I don't know if the guard position is something that would jump out at voters as immediately as other positions.
How many offensive linemen who primarily played guard made it to Canton on the first ballot? Off the top of my head Randall McDaniel, John Hannah, and Larry Allen are the only three guards where that was the case.
Re: Zack Martin
Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2025 6:39 pm
by JohnTurney
SeahawkFever wrote: ↑Thu Mar 06, 2025 4:33 pm
He deserves to be first ballot. The only reason why he wouldn't get in on the first ballot would probably be that he played guard.
No knock on Martin, but I don't know if the guard position is something that would jump out at voters as immediately as other positions.
How many offensive linemen who primarily played guard made it to Canton on the first ballot? Off the top of my head Randall McDaniel, John Hannah, and Larry Allen are the only three guards where that was the case.
McDaniel was not first-ballot -- thought that can be questioned.
Gene Upshaw was. Bruce Matthews was (also a C and a little bit of T). Jim Parker (played more at tackle) was as well, depending om how you categorize him.
I don't think him being a guard will hurt him. Maybe voting rules and maybe carryover, but doubt it. I think he will stand out like Hannah and Matthews and Allen. Maybe voters don't agree but I see him as a top 5 modern era guard