Jerry Jones didn’t have a way of urgency about getting a brand new contract executed with CeeDee Lamb whereas the staff was in California for 5 weeks of coaching camp. However the Dallas Cowboys proprietor and common supervisor clearly wished it executed earlier than the common season began.
Lamb and the Cowboys agreed to a four-year, $136 million deal that features a record-setting $36 million signing bonus, which means Dallas can have its high offensive playmaker when the staff travels to Cleveland for Week 1, league sources informed The Athletic.
Lamb’s deal makes him the NFL’s second highest-paid extensive receiver, trailing solely Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson. The Vikings and Jefferson agreed to a four-year, $140 million cope with $110 million assured in early June. Lamb was coming into the fifth and last 12 months of his rookie contract. That doesn’t imply he would’ve hit free company in March if a deal was not reached. The Cowboys may have used the franchise tag, one thing that might’ve possible angered Lamb greater than he was just a few weeks in the past.
Jones and Lamb made headlines on Aug. 8 when Jones informed reporters that he didn’t have a way of urgency about getting a deal executed. Lamb responded to Jones’ remark through X by posting “lol”. Jones tried to make clear his feedback three days in a while the staff’s pregame present earlier than their preseason opener in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams.
“I perceive utterly the angst that’s occurring if you’re anxious about (one thing) and somebody says something about whether or not you’re missed or not,” Jones stated on the time. “Effectively, CeeDee, you’re missed.”
Jones was not involved about Lamb lacking camp as a result of he knew the 25-year-old was staying in high form whereas understanding along with his personal trainers. To Jones, Lamb wasn’t going to play within the preseason and his absence offered extra alternatives throughout camp for extensive receivers Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Brooks, KaVontae Turpin and Ryan Flournoy to get work with quarterback Dak Prescott and the starters.
Lamb has persistently improved in every of his earlier 4 seasons in Dallas, elevating himself into the NFL’s high extensive receiver dialog. His targets, receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns have elevated each season for the reason that Cowboys drafted him seventeenth general in 2020.
Season by season: CeeDee Lamb
| YEAR | G | TGT | REC | YDS | TD | YPC | YPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2023 |
17 |
181 |
135 |
1,749 |
12 |
13.0 |
102.9 |
|
2022 |
17 |
156 |
107 |
1,359 |
9 |
12.7 |
79.9 |
|
2021 |
16 |
120 |
79 |
1,102 |
6 |
13.9 |
68.9 |
|
2020 |
16 |
111 |
74 |
935 |
5 |
12.6 |
58.4 |
The three-time Professional Bowler and 2023 first-team All-Professional led the NFL in targets (181) and receptions (135) final 12 months. He completed second within the league in receiving yards (1,749) and receiving touchdowns (12).
Now that the enterprise facet is accomplished, the Cowboys need to be considerably cautious about Lamb doing an excessive amount of too rapidly. The very last thing they want is their star receiver struggling any kind of soppy tissue harm.
Cowboys veteran No. 2 extensive receiver Brandin Cooks has stated that he doesn’t assume Lamb lacking time will result in any points.
“He’s the most effective receiver within the league for a purpose,” Cooks stated. “I performed with a man in Aaron Donald, who if I’m not mistaken, didn’t come to camp three years in a row and received Defensive Participant of the Yr. And (Lamb’s) that good as a receiver.”
Lamb’s quarterback shares related emotions.
“He’s proficient,” Prescott stated early in camp. “He works exhausting. He’s particular. He’s the most effective receiver within the league for a purpose. And I’ve seen Instagram movies. I do know you’ve seen him. He’s working. And he works exhausting. So I’ve no angst, no worries about when he will get right here that we’re not going to choose up the place we left off.
“And if you’re a stud like that and also you’re good like he’s and also you’re good at speaking, that makes that course of that a lot simpler. So it’s not like we’ve acquired to construct one thing. We’ve acquired that. We simply acquired to reignite it when he will get right here.”
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(Picture: Cooper Neill / Getty Photos)
