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Zack Martin rejoined the Dallas Cowboys for mandatory minicamp Tuesday with the two-time All-Pro closing in on a contract that’s expected to make him the highest-paid guard in the NFL.

Martin skipped all nine voluntary offseason practices while negotiations that started about a year ago kept dragging. But he was on the field after the club and his representatives got close on a deal over the weekend.

The 27-year-old Martin was set to make $9.3 million in the final year of his rookie deal. Martin’s new contract is expected to surpass the $13.3 million annual average in the $66.5 million William Perry Jersey , five-year contract that Jacksonville’s Andrew Norwell signed 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.

A Pro Bowl player in each of his first four seasons, Martin only did individual and conditioning work in his first practice of the offseason. While coach Jason Garrett said that was more because Martin has been out, the former Notre Dame standout noted the contract isn’t finished.

Four years ago, Martin was a rookie who engaged Sean Lee in a noncontact drill when the star linebacker’s left knee gave way, resulting in a torn ligament that kept Lee out all season. It was the first offseason practice.

”Right now, until the pen actually gets on paper, I’m going to be smart about it and just do individual work and some conditioning so I don’t do something stupid,” Martin said. ”Two more days, so we’ll see what they want to do, if we just want to play it smart.”

Martin said he wasn’t sure if he would have attended the first mandatory practice without the progress in negotiations. With the agreement close, he said it was an easy decision.

During the voluntary portion of the offseason, Martin said he worked out by himself while players were in meetings. Before practice started each day La'el Collins Jersey , he went home, where he ”kind of got a little stir crazy.”

”If you’d have asked me, I never would have thought in a million years I’d be the guy holding out and not coming to things,” Martin said. ”I had to make a decision, as hard as it was, but what was best for me. Hopefully it gets done, but I think I made the right decision.”

Assuming the Martin deal gets done, the Cowboys will have their top three offensive linemen – all first-round picks with multiple Pro Bowls – locked up well past 2020. Left tackle Tyron Smith and center Travis Frederick are the others.

Smith, who signed an extension in 2014, and Frederick (2016) were the highest-paid at their positions at the time, and are still in the top five. Martin figures he’ll be on a similar track once he goes to the top of the list.

”It’s something obviously my agents and I, we were shooting for, so it’s a huge honor,” Martin said. ”That’ll probably get beat by someone whenever the next one signs Cody Parkey Jersey , but that’s how it works. Whenever we lock this thing up, very excited to get it over with and put it in the past.”

For Garrett, it’s the strongest sign of stability in the rebuilding of a line that started before his first full season as head coach, when the Cowboys drafted Smith ninth overall in 2011.

”It took us a while to rebuild it the way we wanted to rebuild it,” Garrett said. ”We reinforced that idea that you have to rebuild the offensive and defensive lines in order to allow your skill players to have some success.”

NOTES: DL David Irving attended the start of minicamp after missing voluntary offseason workouts to deal with personal issues. His girlfriend accused him of domestic abuse before recanting in a case that police in the Dallas suburb of Frisco closed without filing charges. … Smith was limited in practice because of a neck issue that Garrett said was minor.

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DENVER (AP) — Von Miller went bonkers when Bradley Chubb fell to the Denver Broncos with the fifth pick in the NFL draft.

Chubb not only takes pressure off Miller, who hasn’t been back to the playoffs since winning Super Bowl 50 MVP honors. He bolsters what was already a dynamic Denver pass rush that gives opponents fits and covers a whole lot of warts in the Broncos’ beleaguered secondary.

Rather than grab another quarterback in the first round — his last one didn’t work out so well — general manager John Elway selected the North Carolina State edge rusher who was widely regarded as the best defender in the 2017 draft class.

Now, the Broncos can send Miller, Chubb, Shane Ray and Shaq Barrett at quarterbacks from the outside while locking down the interior with a revitalized Derek Wolfe , a beefed-up DeMarcus Walker, a rejuvenated Adam Gotsis and free agent acquisition Clinton McDonald at defensive end.

Then there’s nose tackles Shelby Harris and the Peko cousins, Domata and Kyle, to provide inside push and help thwart the run.

Of course, it will only matter if Denver’s refurbished offense buttressed by free agent QB Case Keenum Dalton Schultz Jersey , rookie receivers Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton and rookie running back Royce Freeman, starts scoring points like it did when Peyton Manning was hollering out, “Hurry, hurry!”

In the two seasons since Manning retired, the Broncos haven’t played with a lead often enough to capitalize on their pass rush prowess or what had been a stellar secondary.

Cornerback Chris Harris Jr., was pleased to finally face an offense in training camp that held its own.

“Our offense is way better than they were last year,” Harris said. “I see them putting up points, at least 30 a game. … because we have Bill Musgrave, a great offensive coordinator. We used to hate going against him. We used to call him ‘Mad Scientist’ when he was in Oakland, so they have a great offense. It fits Case well. He has great weapons. I don’t see why they can’t average 30.”

NO MORE NO FLY ZONE : A prolific offense will help a defense that went through a spate of injuries in the secondary, then lost a second member of the original “No Fly Zone” with the trade of cornerback Aqib Talib to the Rams this spring.

The Broncos had their share of growing pains after safety T.J. Ward was waived last year. Now the original “No Fly Zone” is down to safety Darren Stewart and Harris, who said the chemistry with cornerback Bradley Roby was slow to develop this summer after never needing to consider it with Talib.

“It was so easy that you never realized that you have to work for that with someone else,” Harris said. “Me and ‘Lib used to come out on the field — Bam! If he sees something, I see it.”

Asked when he thought that would come together with Roby Jerry Hughes Jersey , Harris said, “as soon as Roby gets it. It shouldn’t take long as long as he gets it. Once he gets it, we’ll be on the same page.”

REFRESHED RECEIVERS : It didn’t take long for Emmanuel Sanders to get on the same page with Keenum. Finally healthy after an injury-marred 2017 season, Sanders was the star of training camp even as rookie Sutton, another SMU alum, was entertaining the crowds with daily highlight reel catches.

Sanders said his enthusiasm isn’t just a byproduct of his return to health but of Keenum’s arrival. For the first time since 2015, Sanders worked exclusively with the starting QB and didn’t have to endure a prolonged quarterback competition that siphoned chemistry and rhythm from the offense once the regular season rolled around.

He and Demaryius Thomas also were pushed by the rookies.

“This is one of those wide receiver groups that can definitely carry this team,” Sanders said. “Elway has his pick of the litter in that room.”

BOUNCE BACKS : The Broncos haven’t had back-to-back losing seasons since 1971-72 and several players need bounce-back seasons to keep that streak alive. So do the coaches.

Elway contemplated firing Joseph following his 5-11 rookie season but decided to give him another chance, then provided him with a massive roster upgrade rather than going on another coaching search and starting over.

Joseph realizes he won’t get another chance if things don’t change, however.

“Winning football games is a must this year,” Joseph said. “We have to do that. That’s why they hired me.”
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