One of the Dallas Cowboys looking for a new contract before the start of this season isn’t showing up to training camp.
Star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, who led the league with 135 receptions and set career highs with 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns, is not showing up at the start of camp, according to multiple reports.
NFL Network reports Lamb and the Cowboys had tried to reach an agreement before camp began, but they have not been able to find common ground.
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CeeDee Lamb #88 of the Dallas Cowboys reacts after a first down during the fourth quarter in the game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on December 24, 2023 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
In turn, Lamb will officially be a holdout, and fines will be accrued for his missed time until a new deal is reached.
As things stand, Lamb is set to play on his fifth-year option, which is worth $17.99 million.
Meanwhile, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who was taken several picks after Lamb in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, was awarded for his stellar production with a league-leading $140 million contract extension that pays out $35 million per year over the next five years.
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Lamb’s production has been stellar since joining the Cowboys as the 17th overall pick, as the Oklahoma product has had at least 1,102 yards since 2021.
And Lamb likely understands the current situation the Cowboys are in entering the 2024 season. First, his quarterback, Dak Prescott, and head coach Mike McCarthy are both in contract years as well.
Second, Lamb is the clear top option on the field, especially since the Cowboys didn’t upgrade much this offseason except to bring back Zeke Elliott as the starting running back. The receivers are still Brandin Cooks and Jalent Tolbert alongside Lamb, while Jake Ferguson returns at tight end.
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) catches a pass for a touchdown during the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Detroit Lions on December 30, 2023 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
If the Cowboys wish to snap their Super Bowl drought, Lamb is a crucial offensive weapon to make that happen this season and in seasons to come.
That type of leverage is a powerful thing, as Lamb clearly understands his value and won’t be settling for what the Cowboys may have come to the table with already.
As ESPN’s Ed Werder pointed out, the Cowboys have dealt with holdouts in the past. Elliott was one of them in 2019, when he was eventually made the highest-paid running back in the NFL.
And last year, offensive guard Zack Martin held out of training camp until he was made a top-paid offensive lineman in the NFL.
CeeDee Lamb #88 of the Dallas Cowboys looks on before kickoff against the Green Bay Packers during the NFC Wild Card playoff game at AT&T Stadium on January 14, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
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Lamb — second in the league last season in receiving yards by just 50 behind Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill — who makes $30 million per season, will take whatever fines come as his teammates begin training camp without him on the field.
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