CeeDee Lamb, like many other extension-eligible players, skipped organized team activities. In the case of the Cowboys, their offseason program has now shifted to mandatory minicamp but the standout receiver is still not present.
Lamb has not been seen at the first day of minicamp, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network notes. His absence is expected to last throughout the three-day period, ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds. Remaining away from the team will generate roughly $100K in fines for Lamb; unlike the case of training camp holdouts, though, those penalties can be waived.
The three-time Pro Bowler entered the 2024 offseason as one of the wideouts capable of resetting the position’s market. The top of the pecking order has since moved three times, with Justin Jefferson unsurprisingly moving ahead on his Vikings extension. That pact carries an annual average value of $35MM, the top figure in the league for non-quarterbacks.
Lamb and Bengals Pro Bowler Ja’Marr Chase now have a benchmark for their own negotiations as a result. The former is not believed to have been the subject of serious extension talks this offseason, with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones electing to wait for other mega-deals around the league to be signed. That has provided Lamb with a high target on his asking price. As things stand, the 25-year-old is set to receive $17.99MM in 2024 on his fifth-year option.
A long-term deal will be much more expensive given Lamb’s production last year in particular. With Jefferson’s deal now on the books, though, an expectation exists that talks between Dallas and the Oklahoma alum will heat up in the near future. That could allow the parties to hammer out an agreement sometime this summer and finish off one of the Cowboys’ major financial goals.
The team has quarterback Dak Prescott and edge rusher Micah Parsons in line for extensions. The former is, like Lamb, on track for free agency in 2025 while the latter is under team control for the next two years. Keeping each member of the Prescott-Lamb-Parsons trio in the fold will be a challenge for Dallas, but plenty of incentive exists for Lamb negotiations to take place before training camp opens next month.