The Dallas Cowboys will reportedly begin mandatory minicamp without star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb as he seeks a new contract. According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Lamb has not been spotted at the Star in Frisco on Tuesday, which is the first day of the three-day mandatory minicamp. By not appearing, the former first-rounder is subject to fines for every day missed.
As it stands, Lamb is preparing to play the 2024 season on his fifth-year extension for $17.9 million. He’s doing that preparation away from the team, however, as he waits on a new deal.
The Minnesota Vikings re-set the market for NFL wide receivers on Monday by inking former first-round pick Justin Jefferson to a four-year contract extension for $140 million. It seems to be the exact deal that the Dallas Cowboys have been waiting for as they continue negotiations with the representatives for Lamb. According to NFL insider Josina Anderson, the contract talks are now expected to “speed up.”
Earlier in the spring, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones referenced the team’s need to wait for more “leaves to fall” before making any offers. Now, many more leaves have fallen.
“Who in the world would think that we’re not working on it?” Jones said. “I work on it at two in the morning sometimes. What your actual question is why don’t you have something done and negotiated and put in the drawer? We’d like to see some more leaves fall. We’d like to see some more action.”
“You may give money to somebody that you shouldn’t have given it to,” he added. “To say that you’re not working on it or going is not the right answer. The difference is the style. It’s on your mind. It’d be madness not to know that the contracts are ahead. …. You got trouble with what the timing is around here because I’m not ready to go.”
Jefferson deal re-sets market for CeeDee Lamb
Lamb’s resume is very similar to Jefferson’s after four seasons in the league. The two former first-rounders, selected five spots apart, both have three Pro Bowl nominations. Lamb has two All-Pro selections while Jefferson has three (one first team, two second team).
The Cowboys star has tallied 395 catches while the Vikings standout has 392. Lamb has 5,145 receiving yards, and Jefferson has 5,899 yards. As far as getting in the endzone, the Dallas receiver has the edge with 35 scores compared to his Minnesota counterpart’s 32. Both are clear No. 1 wide receivers, now it’s up to the Cowboys to pay Lamb like one.
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