The Dallas Cowboys are terrible at negotiating contract extensions with star players.It speaks volumes that Ezekiel Elliott is the only recent star they extended ahead of time. Even though CeeDee Lamb has been a no-brainer extension candidate for over a year, he still doesn’t have a new deal in place.
With offseason workouts right around the corner, Cowboys fans’ worst fear came true when the Dallas Morning News reported Lamb could stage a holdout until he signs an extension. While Lamb missing voluntary workouts wouldn’t be the end of the world, the absolute last thing the Cowboys need is for one of the faces of the team to skip the start of training camp.
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The Cowboys signed Trevon Diggs to a massive five-year deal just before camp last summer. Fans are hoping for a similar resolution with Lamb, but you can also understand Lamb not wanting to risk injury when he’s on the verge of becoming the richest WR in league history.
In a sigh of relief for the Cowboys, Lamb put this nightmare to bed as quickly as it arrived. Lamb addressed the holdout rumors to TMZ Sports and all but ensured he’s not going anywhere.
“I’m looking forward to winning and being out there with my guys, and making another run at this thing,” he confirmed. “Yeah, I’ll be in Dallas!
Lamb doesn’t seem all that bothered by his ongoing contract negotiations. In fact, the All-Pro receiver noted to TMZ Sports that his offseason has consisted of “relaxing, chilling, working out of course.” Lamb even flashed a few smiles for the cameras. There was zero indicator of a disgruntled player.
While voluntary workouts start on April 15, the Cowboys’ first mandatory workouts run from June 4-6. Lamb will be subjected to fines if he skips the mandatory practices. Between missed mandatory practices and skipping part of training camp, Zack Martin was fined a total of $850,000 last summer.
After 17 days of missed work, Martin and the Cowboys agreed to a reworked contract that gave Martin a substantial raise for 2023 and ’24. Lamb’s negotiations could drag out that long given that fellow superstar receivers Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase are also seeking new deals.
Lamb’s expected to reset the WR market, but the Cowboys would be smart to offer Lamb a deal that reflects that before Jefferson and Chase sign. The baseline will start at $30 million per year and it will only go up once the Vikings and Bengals megastars put pen to paper.
Whatever the final price is and whenever Lamb signs, the most important thing is that he’s fully committed to Dallas and plans on being with the team for OTAs and training camp even if he doesn’t risk injury by practicing.