The Dallas Cowboys are facing the prospect of starting training camp this month without top wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. The league’s No. 1 receiver in catches last season is seeking a contract extension before playing the 2024 season on his rookie deal’s fifth-year option. Without an extension signed, Lamb is expected to hold out of training camp in Oxnard, California, according to Dallas Morning News‘ Calvin Watkins.
Rookies and veterans alike are set to report for training camp in California on July 24. If Lamb were to continue holding out, as he did during the team’s mandatory minicamp, he would be subject to fines. Those fines can amount to as much as $50,000 per day missed. He already lost out on roughly $100,000 for missing minicamp, however, it’s a small sum compared to the contract he’s looking for from Dallas.
Lamb to make top-dollar with new deal
As far as what he’s looking for, it’s top-tier pay as a wide receiver, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Justin Jefferson just signed a deal worth $35 million per year with the Vikings and Lamb could see something similar.
“This one’s interesting because I checked in with somebody who has an understanding of this negotiation and he said, ‘This is a player who has put all his four years’ body of work together, it speaks for itself and the market speaks for itself,’” Fowler said. “Justin Jefferson putting up a huge number at wide receiver at $35 million per year. So whether Lamb can beat that or not is debatable, but he’s gonna have to probably be pretty close to that number based on what he’s done.”
As far as the team is concerned, Lamb’s absence would undoubtedly be a nuisance. Dak Prescott loses a lot in training camp if he doesn’t have his No. 1 wide receiver to throw to, however, Mike McCarthy isn’t worried about Lamb being ready to go when the season starts – new contract or no.
“CeeDee’s in a business situation but everybody’s engaged,” McCarthy said last month. “I’ve got no qualms about our best being ready.”
In four seasons since leaving Oklahoma, Lamb has posted 395 catches, 5,145 yards, and 32 touchdowns with 13 yards per catch. Without a new deal, he’d play in 2024 on a salary of $17.991 million.
Training camp holdout impacted Zack Martin’s 2023 season
Nine-time All-Pro right guard Zack Martin was the Cowboys’ lone training camp holdout last season. The veteran ended up agreeing to a contract restructure with a slight raise, but he admitted the holdout impacted how he started the 2023 season.
“I don’t think I played honestly up to my standard last year, really,” Martin said. “That’s another reason why I want to finish this year strong is I think I can play at a high level still. I think I may have come up a little bit short last year. I’ve got a little chip on my shoulder to get back to that consistent, kind of dominant player that I’ve been.”
The right guard has said the 2024 season might be his final one in the NFL, but he’s noncommittal at this point.
“I’m not saying 100%, but I think it’s definitely in the realm of possibilities,” Martin said via The Dallas Morning News. “And that’s one thing I don’t want to do. For myself, I don’t want to be thinking, ‘Oh, this is it. This is it.’
“I want to stay in the moment, and I want to play the best that I can play at this point and be the best right guard this team needs on a weekly basis. And then after the season, we’ll figure out what’s going on.”
Martin was a first-round pick for Dallas in 2014 out of Notre Dame. He instantly became a starter at right guard and his throne has never been overthrown. In 152 career games, all of them have been starts. Early in 2024, Martin will surpass 10,000 snaps played.
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