Dallas Cowboys holdout wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is looking for the really big money in the wake of Justin Jefferson’s four-year, $140 million ($110 million guaranteed) contract extension with the Minnesota Vikings.
To showcase his displeasure with not yet receiving a deal, the 25-year-old star receiver, who is currently set to play out the season on the fifth-year deal from his rookie contract, did not show up for OTAs or mandatory minicamp.
Well, the disgruntled Cowboy recently took to social media and dropped a cryptic message that could be taken any number of ways.
CeeDee’s Cryptic Social Media Post
“Starting to Cee the light & it feel real all of a sudden,” Lamb posted via Instagram, alongside a photo of him in training attire.
CeeDee Lamb’s most recent post on Instagram:
“Starting to Cee the light & it feel real all of a sudden.”
(📸: @ cee2x___ on IG) #Cowboys pic.twitter.com/OhVqRDqxAp
— Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) June 18, 2024
So, what does this mean, exactly?
This one-line message could actually be taken one of two ways. Maybe he’s implying that he sees the end of the tunnel when it comes to contract talks and a deal may be imminent. Also, however, he could be saying that he sees that no deal is coming through and that it’s finally becoming “real” that his days as a Cowboy are done.
If the words of veteran NFL analyst Adam Schefter are accurate, though, Lamb’s message may more likely be a good-bye than an ‘I’m coming back.’
Sources: Deal Not Imminent
“The Dallas Cowboys are as far along with Lamb as they are with Micah Parsons as they are with Dak Prescott, which is to say, not very far along with any of these players right now,” Schefter said in a segment on ESPN’s Sportscenter.
Lamb is looking for a deal similar to, and perhaps, exceeding Jefferson’s with Minnesota. Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report is projecting the Lamb deal to be in the area of $140.1 million for four years with $110 million guaranteed.
There’s no denying that the Cowboys’ 2020 first-round draft pick (no. 17 overall) is an elite receiver. He finished last season ranked second among NFL wide receivers with 1,749 yards, and 12 touchdowns. The young man has been an impact player from the very first day he stepped on to an NFL field.
The Dallas Cowboys’ Problem
The problem in Dallas is that starting quarterback Dak Prescott and defensive end Micah Parsons are also due for contract extensions and the possible financial burden of extending all three stars seems to be causing Cowboys owner Jerry Jones some pause for concern.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Cowboys are prioritizing Prescott’s deal.
“You’ve got Dak Prescott. The Cowboys have a world of problems here financially with three players they have to sign—Parsons, Lamb as well—but the feeling around the league and sources I’ve talked to is that they want to start with Dak,” Fowler recently said during a segment of Sportscenter. “They’ve put it on the table with Dak’s people that ‘Hey look, you’re a priority. We want to try to get something done.’ As far as hard dollars, not a lot of progress yet. I would describe their efforts so far as passive.”
The End of a Cowboys Run?
And if Dallas’ effort is currently “passive” when it comes to their priority, it could be concluded that it’s virtually non-existent when it comes to Lamb’s deal. If so, it’s no wonder that the 25-year-old would be taking to social media, hinting that he’s seeing “the light” and, possibly, preparing to come to terms with a big professional change of scenery.
The Cowboys have more options with Lamb than they do with Prescott and Parsons. They could slap the “franchise” tag on the young talent, but, in the long run, as the wide receiver pay scale grows, that could result in them dishing out even more money than what would be the case right now with a simple extension.
Whatever the case, Lamb is the only one of the three Cowboys who’s decided to hold out and the pressure is now on the Dallas front office to make a huge decision very soon.
Cowboys Fans React
Come on Jerry…
CeeDee should be getting:
5 yrs – $155M – $135M guaranteed— d.s.a.F (@_BachManity_) June 18, 2024
Maaaaan Sign Ceedee Lamb already please #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/eiOXMc61sv
— Chris Shannon (@ChrisShannon711) June 18, 2024
Highest paid wide receiver incoming!
— Stephen Mac (@Stephen_Mac03) June 19, 2024