Agent’s Take: Why CeeDee Lamb negotiations could haunt Jerry Jones after Cowboys owner gave in to Zack Martin

Contract negotiation drama is a way of life for the Dallas Cowboys. The latest potential drama involves CeeDee Lamb, who is scheduled to play under a fully guaranteed $17.199 million, fifth-year option in 2024.

According to the Dallas Morning News’ Michael Gehlken, Lamb isn’t expected to attend the start of the voluntary portion of the Cowboys’ offseason workout program on April 15 and could hold out of training camp without a new contract. When asked general questions about his future by TMZ at a sports memorabilia show in Chantilly, Va., on Monday several hours after Gehlken’s report, Lamb said, “Yeah, I’ll be in Dallas.” Whether Lamb will skip the voluntary workouts, the mandatory minicamp to be held June 4-6 and/or the start of training camp weren’t specifically addressed in the brief interview.

Precedent matters

During my days as an agent, a client being absent from team activities, especially early in the offseason, wouldn’t occur as long as sufficient progress was being made on a new contract. Lamb reportedly contemplating missing the beginning of the workout program suggests to me that negotiations either have been difficult or are proceeding at a slow pace. 

I also paid close attention to an NFL team’s history in contract disputes when evaluating what tactics to use in a negotiation. For example, there would have been reluctance to have a client withhold services when dealing with the Seattle Seahawks because of Kam Chancellor’s and Earl Thomas‘ situations. Chancellor held out 54 days in 2015 before returning to the Seahawks without any changes to his contract. 

Thomas missed all of training camp and the preseason in a 2018 holdout he ended four days before the regular-season opener. Just like Chancellor, Thomas’ holdout didn’t result in him getting a new deal. He played out his contract and left Seattle in 2019 as an unrestricted free agent. 

There hasn’t been front office turnover that could change the calculus since the two safeties’ failed attempts at forcing Seattle’s hand. John Schneider has been general manager since 2010.

The Cowboys are at the opposite end of the spectrum from the Seahawks. Running back Ezekiel Elliott’s 39-day holdout in 2019, when he had two years remaining on his rookie contract, led to him becoming the NFL’s highest-paid running back. Elliott received a six-year, $90 million contract extension, averaging $15 million per year. New…