A former multiyear 49ers starter, Marcus Martin hasn’t played since the 2016 season. But the Cowboys signed the offensive lineman in hopes he could commandeer one of their backup jobs.
Those plans may not come to fruition. The veteran interior lineman suffered a toe injury during Dallas’ preseason opener Thursday night, and ESPN.com’s Todd Archer reports Martin will require surgery. And it could sideline him for a while.
Martin did not suffer a toe fracture, per Calvin Watkins of The Athletic (on Twitter), but instead tore a ligament in his right big toe, per Archer. La’el Collins suffered a similar injury in 2016 and spent the final three months of the season on IR.
The Cowboys believed Martin could serve as a backup interior lineman behind Zack Martin, Travis Frederick and Connor Williams, per Archer, but this certainly alters those plans. Joe Looney still resides as a key Cowboys backup, and his role now becomes more important after this setback. Martin, 24, was no lock to make the team, but this affects Dallas’ depth.
The former 2014 third-round pick finished the 2016 season on the 49ers’ IR before being waived a few months later. Marcus Martin signed with the Cowboys in March.