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The Dallas Cowboys’ preparations for the 2024 season will begin without at least one key player.
According to multiple reports, superstar wideout CeeDee Lamb won’t report to training camp on Wednesday as he seeks a lucrative long-term contract. Lamb and the Cowboys reportedly have discussed an extension but have been unable to find a middle ground to this point.
Ian Rapoport @RapSheet
CeeDee Lamb and the team have worked on a new contract, but have not been able to come to terms. Now, he’ll officially be a holdout, collecting fines with hopes of reaching a new deal at some point. https://t.co/bWRCIed9qj
Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter
Sources: Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb, who has been unable to land the type of contract extension that other wide receivers have, is not expected to report to training camp Wednesday with the rest of his team. Lamb is entering the last year of a deal scheduled to pay him $17.99 million… pic.twitter.com/lK5B64X65o
In all likelihood, Lamb is looking to match or exceed the record-setting four-year, $140 million extension that made Justin Jefferson the highest-paid non-quarterback (based on average salary) in NFL history.
Lamb, 25, was drafted in the same year as Jefferson (2020), is the same age and has offered similar production to the Minnesota Vikings’ superstar to this point in their respective careers:
Lamb: 395 catches for 5,145 yards and 32 touchdowns in 66 total games.Jefferson: 392 catches for 5,899 yards and 30 touchdowns in 60 total games.
The Cowboys may point out that Jefferson has amassed significantly more yardage more than Lamb in six fewer games, while the receptions and touchdown totals are nearly identical. Lamb will argue that he deserves to be paid like one of the elite receivers in the game and that Jefferson’s contract reset that market, and his looming free agency provides him some leverage given that quarterback Dak Prescott is also entering the final year of his deal and is in the market for a massive extension.
Joe Banner @JoeBanner13
The cowboys have a long history of doing deals late and caving. This is how they have been doing business for a long time https://t.co/O50a5rr7U5
The last thing the Cowboys want heading into next offseason is two star players who could hit the open market and only one franchise tag to use as a safety net.
And then there’s Micah Parsons and his looming extension. His rookie deal ends after the 2025 season and he’ll be seeking a contract that compares to Nick Bosa (five years, $170 million), which reset the market for both edge-rushers and non-quarterbacks.
In other words, the Cowboys could have three players all negotiating to be the highest paid players in the NFL at their respective positions, and in the case of Lamb and Parsons, the two highest-paid non-quarterbacks in the entire sport.
Dianna Russini @DMRussini
For Dallas, no extensions have been signed. Dak, Lamb, or Parsons.
Along with HC Mike McCarthy who has one year left on his deal.
When was the last time a starting QB and HC were both entering the last year of their deal with no extension done?
JosinaAnderson @JosinaAnderson
Sources expressed doubt as of two days ago that WR Cee Dee Lamb was reporting for #Cowboys training camp based on the arc of current talks. Sides are “still working on it.” Just as I’m told tonight about the effort to “continue to work on (contract talks) w/ QB Dak Prescott.… pic.twitter.com/rVQuRVWyXp
The 49ers could swing that type of deal with Bosa and maintain a championship-level roster, in part, because Brock Purdy is on a very cheap (by NFL standards) rookie contract. The Vikings could splash that cash for Jefferson, in part, because Sam Darnold is on a one-year, $10 million deal and J.J. McCarthy is on his rookie contract.
But the Cowboys may not be able to afford the trio of Prescott, Lamb and Parsons while maintaining a strong roster around them. And both Lamb and Prescott can use the other player’s pending free agency as a form of leverage against the Cowboys.
Lamb will probably get his money before the start of the 2024 season. But the Cowboys are going to have to get very creative fitting similarly huge extensions for Prescott and Parsons under the cap in the years to come while maintaining a contending roster.
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