The Dallas Cowboys, as well as the rest of the NFL world, were waiting for the Justin Jefferson contract negotiations with the Minnesota Vikings to be finalized. Jefferson, arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL, wanted a deal that would reset the market for wide receivers.
And he got one. The Vikings’ All-Pro wide receiver signed a four-year $140 million contract with $110 million guaranteed. He also received an $88.7 million signing bonus.
This contract was a big deal to the Cowboys because it would directly affect the ongoing contract negotiations with their own All-Pro wide receiver, CeeDee Lamb.
And it seems like Lamb had the same idea. Now that Jefferson has reset the market, Lamb is a no-show at Dallas’ mandatory mini camp.
What Will the Dallas Cowboys Pay CeeDee Lamb?
As mentioned, like Jefferson, Lamb is an All-Pro wide receiver. It is reasonable for him to expect to be paid a similar amount on his next contract.
According to Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report, Lamb will make that much (and just a tad more):
“The Cowboys presumably want to get a deal done before Chase signs his contract in Cincinnati and raises the top of the market even further. There’s a real chance that Lamb gets his new deal before quarterback Dak Prescott, who is also an impending 2025 free agent.
“Dallas could use the franchise tag on Lamb next offseason, but by 2026, top receiver contracts could be well into the $40 million-per-year range.
“Contract projection: Four years, $140.1 million with $110 million guaranteed”
It is a good guess that Dallas will want to get the Lamb contract done before the Cincinnati Bengals re-sign Ja’Marr Chase. There is a chance that Chase could get a little more than Jefferson, and that could drive up Lamb’s price even more.
In this contract projection, he gets $100,000 more than Jefferson, which may be enough to get the deal done.
Does Dallas Cowboys Wide Receiver CeeDee Lamb Deserve More Money than Justin Jefferson?
In four seasons, Jefferson has 392 receptions for 5,899 yards and 30 touchdowns. He is a three-time Pro Bowler and was named First-Team All-Pro once. Jefferson also was named Second-Team All-Pro twice. He missed seven games last season due to injury, but still had 68 receptions for 1,074 yards and five touchdowns.
Lamb also has played four NFL seasons, and has career totals of 395 receptions for 5,145 yards and 32 touchdowns. Like Jefferson, he is a three-time Pro Bowler and one-time First-Team All-Pro. Last season, he led the NFL with 135 receptions while posting 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Based on these numbers, the two are incredibly similar in terms of their production. It is very likely that their contracts will be similar as well.
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