As the Dallas Cowboys approach training camp, a familiar face might be missing from the team. Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reported that CeeDee Lamb, the 25-year-old player who led the league in receptions last year and set a single-season club record for receiving yards, is expected to miss training camp if he doesn’t receive a new contract.
This front office seems to have a pattern with these contract issues, as we’ve seen with Dez Bryant. It’s no wonder this kind of news doesn’t come as a shock.
CeeDee Lamb might be feeling frustrated that the Dallas Front Office has not awarded contract extensions, while other top receivers are receiving the security they need to perform at an elite level.
Lamb is in the final year of his rookie contract, earning $17,991,000, which represents just 6.9% of the current cap space, as reported by overthecap.com.
What is CeeDee Lamb looking for in a contract?
Let’s examine the NFL more closely to gain a better understanding of the type of contract Lamb is seeking in his next deal.
A good starting point is Justin Jefferson, who has recently inked a new deal with the Minnesota Vikings.
Jefferson’s new contract is a 4-year $140 million extension, with $88.7 million due at signing.
Given the front office’s inactivity, while top players have been signing, this could set the baseline for CeeDee Lamb’s contract.
Is CeeDee worth the money?
He is definitely worth every cent.
Since joining the NFL, Lamb has delivered performance on par with the league’s top receivers and shows no signs of slowing down.
In 2023, he made history by smashing the Cowboys’ receiving yard record with an incredible 1,749 yards, all while dominating the league with a whopping 135 receptions.
On his rookie contract, Lamb has 5,145 yards and 32 touchdowns.
Since CeeDee Lamb joined the NFL, these numbers have consistently been towards the top of the receiver charts for the past four years.
What if CeeDee does hold out?
A holdout from Lamb would move Brandin Cooks up to the WR1 position. Despite Cooks’ previous success, he is best suited as a solid second option rather than a number-one receiver.
What will happen to the rest of the receiving corps if a holdout occurs? After Cooks, there are several unanswered questions.
Jalen Tolbert has not proven to be consistent, and after him, we have several new faces just trying to make the roster.
A potential holdout by Lamb would have a domino effect on the entire offense, leading to a significant downturn in production.
Without CeeDee Lamb on the outside, defenses would not fear the passing attack.
The Front Office
The Front Office led by Jerry Jones has never failed to not overpay for players due to a lack of urgency.
While he enjoys the team being in the spotlight, Jerry’s approach is detrimental to the roster due to the high costs of player extensions.
If Jerry and his kids were to finalize deals before the player market values are set, the Cowboys could save money in the long run. However, based on the history of his deal-making, it seems unlikely that this will ever happen.
As for us fans, we just have to sit back relax, and hope we get our number 1 receiver back in time for the season.
