CeeDee Lamb

Checking In On Unresolved WR Situations

July 4th, 2024 at 9:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Wide receiver rumors continue to dominate the NFL’s post-minicamp quiet period. The shift atop the receiver market this offseason has complicated matters for other teams, while multiple clubs are also dealing with players attached to upper-middle-class accords.

With training camps less than a month away, here is a look at where the unresolved wideout situations stand:

Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers

This situation that has generated the most offseason rumors at the position; the 49ers-Aiyuk negotiations have dragged on for months. Progress has been scarce here, to the point Aiyuk requested a meeting to address his value and issues with the 49ers’ tactics during these talks. The Vikings’ Justin Jefferson extension has affected these conversations, with Aiyuk’s camp now seeking a full guarantee near the number ($88.7MM) the Minnesota superstar scored. AAV-wise, Aiyuk’s camp has been connected to pursuing a deal that matches or surpasses the $30.01MM number the Lions reached for Amon-Ra St. Brown. Aiyuk did not show for OTAs or minicamp.

Aiyuk, 26, is due a $14.12MM fifth-year option salary. His next step would be to hold out, risking $50K in per-day fines. The 49ers could waive them, as they did for Nick Bosa, since Aiyuk is on a rookie contract. That separates this situation from a few others here, and it is certainly possible the sides do not come together on a deal. Aiyuk not bringing down his guarantee request would run the risk of that happening.

While Aiyuk expects to be a 49er for a fifth season, the value gulf here — one partially created by the big-ticket deals other WRs have agreed to this offseason — threatens to prevent this situation from concluding smoothly like Deebo Samuel‘s did in 2022. The 49ers guaranteed Samuel $41MM at signing, illustrating how far the team and Aiyuk may be apart. Conversely, an agreement here — with the 49ers preparing for a Brock Purdy payday and having drafted Ricky Pearsall in Round 1 — would point to a 2025 Samuel trade. The 49ers discussed trades involving both their top wideouts, but John Lynch shut down those rumors post-draft.

Amari Cooper, Browns

The two-year Browns contributor joined Aiyuk in skipping minicamp, having seen his Cowboys-constructed contract fall in the pecking order (from second to 20th) due to the market booms of 2022 and 2024. Cooper signed a five-year deal, as the Cowboys prefer longer-term accords, in 2020 and missed out on cashing in as the market soared during the contract’s lifespan. Having played the lead role for a depleted Browns offense during an 11-6 2023 season, Cooper is aiming to score another payday ahead of his age-30 season.

Browns GM Andrew Berry identified Cooper as an extension candidate earlier this offseason, and Kevin Stefanski acknowledged talks have taken place. The Browns certainly had to assume they would be dealing with Cooper on the contract front once they gave trade pickup Jerry Jeudy a $41MM guarantee at signing (sixth among WRs). The ex-Bronco has yet to post a 1,000-yard season. Cooper has seven, though last season marked the older Alabama alum’s first 1,200-yard year.

With Deshaun Watson in Year 3 of a $230MM guaranteed extension, the Browns feature an unusual roster component. If Cooper were to hold out, the Browns would be unable to waive his $50K-per-day fines due to the 2015 first-rounder not being on a rookie contract.

As it stands, Cooper is tied to a $23.78MM cap number. Cleveland could reduce that with an extension, but Cooper’s age offers a slight complication. This does not appear an acrimonious dispute, and the sides are hoping for a pre-training camp resolution.

Tee Higgins, Bengals

This matter appears simpler, as Higgins has signed his $21.82MM franchise tender. Unlike Jessie Bates two years ago, Higgins is obligated to attend camp. The other eight players to receive a franchise or transition tag have signed extensions, each doing so several weeks ago. The Bengals have shown no indications they plan to extend their No. 2 wide receiver before the July 15 deadline, and while Higgins requested a trade, he has acknowledged he expects to remain in Cincinnati for the 2024 season. A trade could occur after the tag deadline, but the Bengals are highly unlikely — after resisting trade interest at the 2023 trade deadline — to move Higgins this year.

The Bengals and Higgins have discussed an extension for more than a year, and a modest offer — well south of $20MM per year — prompted the 6-foot-4 receiver to play out his fourth season. Gunning to dethrone the Chiefs and finish a mission they nearly accomplished in Super Bowl LVI, the Bengals tagged Higgins and are preparing to run back their standout receiver pair for a fourth year. If/once Higgins is tied to the tag this season, the sides cannot restart talks until January 2025. It is unclear if the Bengals would consider re-tagging Higgins next year, but the early word leans against this reality.

Joe Burrow‘s cap number spikes by $17MM between 2024 and 2025, moving past $46MM next year, and the Bengals have a receiver extension earmarked for Ja’Marr Chase. Though, Chase talks will be interesting after Jefferson’s guarantee figures surfaced.

Tyreek Hill, Dolphins

This is a rather unusual situation, but one that reminds of another Dolphins matter from recent years. Hill is tied to a four-year, $120MM extension; that deal runs through 2026. But the future Hall of Famer is already seeking a new contract. Teams rarely accommodate players with three years of team control remaining, due to the precedent it sets, but Hill has shown himself to be one of the top receivers of this era. He has delivered back-to-back first-team All-Pro offerings and has made a significant difference in Tua Tagovailoa‘s development. The Dolphins have not shut Hill down on this matter.

Hill, 30, is believed to have approached the Dolphins about an update before the St. Brown, Jefferson and A.J. Brown deals came to pass, but those contracts intensified the ninth-year veteran’s pursuit. Rather than a push for more guarantees on his current contract, Hill confirmed he is seeking a new deal. Teams are not big on giving back years to players, the Texans’ unusual move to lop three years off Stefon Diggs‘ contract notwithstanding, and agreeing on another extension — with customary guarantees — so soon would make for one of the more interesting decisions in this key chapter in WR history.

Dolphins GM Chris Grier has set a precedent on this front, giving in to Xavien Howard‘s demands for a new contract in 2022 despite being tied to a deal that covered three more seasons. The Dolphins have given Jaylen Waddle a big-ticket extension, one that is structured in a more player-friendly way than Hill’s backloaded $30MM-AAV pact. Signing deals that at the time broke the receiver AAV record, Hill and Davante Adams allowed their respective teams to insert phony final-year salaries — which almost definitely will not be paid out — to inflate the overall value.

No trade rumors have emerged here, as Hill wants to stay in Miami for his career’s remainder. Though, it will be interesting to see what comes out of these talks if the Dolphins decline Hill’s request this year. Hill is attached to a $31.23MM cap number.

CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys

The Vikings’ decision to authorize outlier guarantees for Jefferson probably affects the Cowboys most, as Lamb is also a 2020 first-round draftee who has shown himself to be one of the NFL’s best receivers. Lamb, 25, has been the centerpiece of the Cowboys’ passing attack since the team traded Amari Cooper — for salary purposes — in 2022. He is coming off a first-team All-Pro season — the first by a Dallas wideout since Dez Bryant in 2014 — and is tied to a $17.99MM fifth-year option figure. If Lamb does not land a new deal by training camp, he is prepared to follow Zack Martin‘s lead and hold out.

Dormant during the spring, Lamb extension talks are expected to pick up this summer. The Oklahoma alum’s interest in becoming the NFL’s highest-paid wideout veered toward shakier ground for the Cowboys following this offseason’s run of deals. The Cowboys not going through with a Lamb extension last year has certainly cost them, as Lamb’s camp has Jefferson’s guarantees to cite now. Dallas has not guaranteed a receiver more than $40MM at signing and typically holds the line on contracts spanning at least five years. Based on where the WR market has gone in terms of contract length, Lamb’s camp will likely make this a central issue in the sides’ negotiations.

Dallas not pushing this process past the goal line in 2023 has also created a situation in which Lamb and Dak Prescott are in contract years, a window that has opened just as Micah Parsons has become extension-eligible. The Cowboys are expected to first address their quarterback’s deal, which could be a tricky proposition due to Prescott’s tactics during his long-running extension talks earlier this decade, but a Lamb pact coming together by training camp is still in play. The Cowboys’ glut of extension candidates has created one of the more complicated contract situations in recent NFL history.

Courtland Sutton, Broncos

Checking in on a lower tier compared to the above-referenced receiver situations, Sutton continues to push for an update to his Denver deal. The Broncos have their top wide receiver attached to a four-year, $60MM extension that runs through 2025. Although just about every Broncos contract matter is overshadowed by the team’s Russell Wilson mistake, the team did well to lock down Sutton at what became a club-friendly rate during the 2021 season. After Sutton scored 10 touchdowns to help Wilson bounce back — to a degree, at least — in 2023, he has made an effort to secure better terms.

Sutton, 28, is believed to be angling for a raise from his $13MM 2024 base salary. The seventh-year target has been connected to seeking a bump to around $16MM. The Broncos did resolve a Chris Harris impasse by authorizing a raise, but the All-Decade CB was a better player who was in a contract year. Sutton reported to Denver’s minicamp but has not committed to showing up for training camp. Last month, the sides were at a stalemate. Tied to a $17.39MM cap number, Sutton would not be able to recoup any fines for a holdout due to being on a veteran contract.

Trade interest emerged during the draft, and the former second-round pick has regularly resided in departure rumors over the past two years. The Broncos cut the cord on fellow trade-rumor mainstay Jerry Jeudy, which stands to make Sutton more important as the team develops Bo Nix. Though, the Broncos have added a few wideouts on Sean Payton‘s watch. If younger players like Marvin Mims and fourth-round rookie Troy Franklin show promise, it is possible the Broncos revisit Sutton trade talks. Up until Week 1, only $2MM of Sutton’s base salary is guaranteed.

Cowboys Notes: Lamb, Elliott, Injuries

July 1st, 2024 at 12:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

CeeDee Lamb has sought an extension throughout the offseason, and whether or not one is worked out over the coming weeks will be a key storyline for the Cowboys. The All-Pro is one of several wideouts around the league whose uncertain financial status could lead to a training camp holdout.

Lamb saw Justin Jefferson become the league’s top earner amongst non-quarterbacks with his Vikings extension. The $35MM AAV of that pact could represent a starting point for negotiations from his perspective, although the Cowboys are not aiming to reset the market further on extensions for Lamb, quarterback Dak Prescott or edge rusher Micah Parsons. Whenever Lamb’s next deal is in place, he will be set to earn far more than the $17.99MM value of his 2024 fifth-year option.

Jon Machota of The Athletic writes an agreement with the 25-year-old “should” be worked out by the time training camp starts next month (subscription required). He adds a Lamb pact can be expected to check in at or slightly below the Jefferson accord in terms of value. Until significant traction is gained in negotiations (which have been expected to accelerate), however, this situation will remain unresolved.

Here are some other Cowboys notes:

After seeing Tony Pollard depart in free agency, Dallas reunited with Ezekiel Elliott in a post-draft deal (one year, $2MM). Rumblings of an agreement picked up leading up to the event, and Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News notes head coach Mike McCarthy wanted to work out the signing during the draft. His desire to move quickly, per Watkins, stemmed from the chance of Elliott signing with a different team if the Cowboys waited too long. In the end, though, the Cowboys landed the former rushing champion (after not making a rookie addition in the backfield) in anticipation of a RB-by-committee approach in 2024.
Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown missed his rookie season due to a torn ACL, so it came as no surprise that he was absent from Dallas’ spring practices. He was joined in that regard by defensive tackle Mazi Smith and tight end Luke Schoonmaker as they rehabbed injuries of their own during OTAs and minicamp, Machota notes. The former – who did not have a strong rookie season – was recovering from offseason shoulder surgery while the latter dealt with hamstring issues. Their availability and performances in training camp will be worth keeping an eye on.
Gareon Conley joined the Cowboys on a one-year deal this offseason after his tenure with the Texans came to an end. The veteran corner filed a grievance against Houston stemming from a shin stress fracture as well as arthroscopic ankle surgery he underwent while with the Texans. That matter has now been settled, with Conley receiving $100K from the Texans, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports. The 29-year-old’s last NFL action came in 2019.

CeeDee Lamb Expected To Hold Out; Cowboys Not Looking To Set Market On Extensions

June 27th, 2024 at 10:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Talks between the Cowboys and CeeDee Lamb are expected to pick up this summer. The All-Pro wide receiver is in a contract year, but so is Dak Prescott. Although Micah Parsons seems fine with his extension talks coming next year, a recent rumor pointed to the Cowboys placing Prescott above Lamb in their extension queue.

Prescott certainly took his time maximizing his leverage during his first round of negotiations, which spanned three offseasons, and the standout quarterback carries considerable leverage this time around. Dak’s situation holding up Lamb’s could be tricky for the Cowboys, who are facing the likelihood of three players pushing for position-record extensions. If no extension comes, Lamb should be expected to test the team in the way Zack Martin did last year.

Lamb is not expected to show for training camp unless he has an extension in place, according to the Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins. This would not be a stunning move, as the fifth-year wideout skipped minicamp.

Of course, that drew barely a $100K fine. Players who skip training camp are subject to $50K fines for each day missed. Nick Bosa, however, provided a blueprint to such a road not costing a player in the hold-in era. Bosa held out, but the 49ers waived his fines. Teams are no longer allowed to waive fines for players, per the 2020 CBA, but an exception exists for players on rookie contracts. Lamb qualifies, as he is tied to a fifth-year option.

The Cowboys were unable to waive Martin’s fines during his 2023 holdout, but the team buckled and turned the final two years of his contract into a fully guaranteed agreement. Martin received $36.85MM guaranteed last summer. Lamb is likely angling for a contract at or very close to the Justin Jefferson level. Considering the Vikings gave Jefferson $26MM more in guaranteed money than any other wide receiver and $36MM more fully guaranteed than any wideout secured, the Cowboys have a complicated negotiation coming.

Cowboys officials have said they do not want to set markets with their extensions, Watkins adds. That may be an issue due to the leverage and/or caliber of players with whom they will negotiate. Progress remains elusive in talks with Prescott and Lamb.

Prescott cannot be franchise-tagged or traded, and after another restructure, the Cowboys would face a $40.1MM dead money bill if they do not extend him by the start of the 2025 league year. The Cowboys are preparing to make a strong offer, but Prescott played hardball during his first round of negotiations. It would surprise if the eighth-year vet did not bring forth a similar plan, especially as the QB market has hit $55MM per year ($15MM north of Dak’s AAV), this time around.

A contract that bridges the gap between the guarantees Jefferson and A.J. Brown secured would be sensible for the Cowboys, though they undoubtedly could have signed Lamb for cheaper had they done a deal in 2023. Dallas has received criticism for delays with Lamb and Prescott, and if Parsons negotiations do commence in 2025, he will be in a contract year as well. While the Cowboys have acted early on extensions (Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick, Ezekiel Elliott), they have not done so for a first-rounder in five years.

Jefferson secured $110MM guaranteed, topping Brown’s previous WR standard of $84MM. Tyreek Hill‘s $52.5MM guarantee at signing held the WR lead until Jefferson’s whopping $88.7MM number surfaced. The Cowboys have never guaranteed a receiver more than $40MM at signing, and they escaped the other $20MM guaranteed in Amari Cooper‘s deal by trading him to the Browns.

A Lamb payday factored into that trade, with Jerry Jones citing the elder WR’s contract as the reason for the trade. Lamb, 25, has taken off since Cooper’s exit, though the Cowboys have run into some trouble finding consistent receiving help over the past two seasons.

Lamb said in January he wanted to become the NFL’s highest-paid receiver. Three receivers — Jefferson, Brown, Amon-Ra St. Brown — have since raised the bar, bringing good news for the Oklahoma alum. The Cowboys have one of the trickier contract gluts in recent memory. If they stick to extending Prescott first, Lamb’s resolve will be tested if/once a holdout commences.

Cowboys Aiming To Finalize Dak Prescott Extension Before CeeDee Lamb?

June 17th, 2024 at 10:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

With minicamp now in the books, the period leading up to Cowboys’ training camp will be dominated by progress on extension talks for Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons. The latter is under contract for two more years, so he is not as pressing of a financial priority this summer.

Prescott has firmly remained in Dallas’ plans beyond the 2024 campaign, one in which he is set to carry a cap hit of $55.13MM. With no-tag and no-trade clauses in his deal, last season’s MVP runner-up has plenty of leverage in a potential bid to reach the top of the quarterback market. A report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler earlier this month indicated the Cowboys are set to make a “strong offer” to keep Prescott in the fold.

To little surprise, that has placed the 30-year-old at the top of the pecking order in terms of lucrative Dallas extensions. Fowler noted in a recent SportsCenter appearance that the Cowboys want to work out the Prescott accord before those of Lamb and Parsons (video link). Such an approach would come as little surprise, considering the respective cap situations of the three players and the nature of the quarterback (as opposed to receiver and edge rush) markets.

Prescott is a candidate to set a new standard in terms of annual average compensation on his next deal; both Joe Burrow (Bengals) and Trevor Lawrence (Jaguars) are currently at $55MM in that regard. The former fourth-rounder has publicly stated that his latest round of negotiations will not be as centered on finances as the last one, and the extent to which that holds true will be a key factor in this process. As Fowler confirms, the Cowboys have not yet aggressively engaged in extension talks with Prescott.

If that continues for the time being, Lamb will be left to wait for serious negotiations of his own. The three-time Pro Bowler did not take part in OTAs or mandatory minicamp as he continues to seek out an extension. Lamb has seen Justin Jefferson reset the top of the receiver market with his $35MM-per-year Vikings pact, and his own value could be similar. Given the surge in lucrative receiver pacts signed by other top producers at the position recently, Lamb will have significant leverage after any potential Prescott deal is hammered out.

Of course, new agreements for either member of that pair will have to be made with Parsons in mind as well. Under contract in 2025 via his fifth-year option, Parsons is aiming to usurp Jefferson as the league’s top paid non-quarterback. The resources Dallas has available to meet that goal (likely next offseason) will largely depend on the progress made with Prescott and Lamb – in that order – during the near future.

WR CeeDee Lamb Absent From Cowboys’ Minicamp

June 4th, 2024 at 9:47am CST by Adam La Rose

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.

Talks Between Cowboys, WR CeeDee Lamb Expected To Pick Up

June 3rd, 2024 at 10:12pm CST by Adam La Rose

2024 has marked another offseason during which many high-profile receivers have received sizable extensions. The trio of Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb and Ja’Marr Chase has been seen as the top group of players in line for new deals, though, leaving each to wait out the other on the contract front.

Jefferson has moved first in that regard, inking a Vikings extension which makes him the league’s top earner for non-quarterbacks. Lamb will be hard-pressed to secure an AAV higher than Jefferson’s $35MM on his new deal, but movement in his case could be coming soon. Talks between Dallas and the three-time Pro Bowler could “jumpstart” in the wake of the Jefferson accord, ESPN’s Todd Archer notes.

Likewise, veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson reports the Lamb negotiations are expected to accelerate now that a new benchmark has been set. The Cowboys have been patient on a number of fronts this offseason, including the addition of outside free agents and efforts to retain the likes of Lamb, Dak Prescott and Micah Parsons. Owner Jerry Jones made it clear in April he intended to let the quarterback and receiver markets come into focus before making a commitment at those positions.

That entailed letting Jefferson ink his deal, and it will be interesting to see if Chase’s negotiations with the Bengals similarly heat up given today’s news. The latter was waiting for Jefferson to agree to his extension before proceeding with serious negotiations on his own. The Cowboys and Bengals could take varying approaches over the coming weeks with respect to hammering out the league’s next WR mega-pacts.

Lamb, 25, set a new franchise record with his 2023 production (135 catches, 1,749 yards, 12 touchdowns). That helped his market value, especially with a number of non-Jefferson receiver deals being worked out recently. Lamb is due $17.99MM in 2024 on his fifth-year option, but a long-term accord will be worth much more. Dallas has to also consider potential multi-year investments in Prescott (also a pending 2025 free agent) and Parsons (who is on the books for the next two years).

To little surprise, Lamb has not taken part in the Cowboys’ OTAs. Those workouts are voluntary, but participation in the team’s upcoming minicamp is not. Dallas’ minicamp runs from June 4-6, and an unexcused absence for all three days would create over $100K fines (although those could be waived at the team’s discretion). The situation between Lamb and the Cowboys will remain worth watching closely during the final days of the team’s offseason program.

Latest On Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb

May 17th, 2024 at 1:35pm CST by Adam La Rose

Like a number of other players around the league, CeeDee Lamb is currently away from his team with a new deal forthcoming. The Cowboys’ record-breaking wideout is on track to miss OTAs with no extension in hand.

Lamb is set to earn $17.99MM in 2024 while playing on his fifth-year option. A multi-year pact will check in at a much larger price tag, as he is one of a few wideouts expected to reach the $30MM-per-year mark on an extension. The 25-year-old, along with Justin Jefferson (Vikings) and Ja’Marr Chase (Bengals) could each reach that plateau at any time this offseason.

Quarterback Dak Prescott and edge rusher Micah Parsons are also in line for monster deals in the near future, though, and Dallas’ cap outlook will change dramatically regardless of how their financial futures are handled. With respect to Prescott and Lamb (who, unlike Parsons, are pending free agents), owner Jerry Jones has endorsed a patient approach while evaluating other teams’ investments around the league.

Presuming that remains the case, Lamb will likely proceed without a deal for the time being. Indeed, Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News writes the expectation remains an agreement will be worked out this offseason, although one may not be finalized until the summer. It was not until July or August that many of the Cowboys’ top contractual situations were dealt with last offseason.

Extensions for the likes of cornerback Trevon Diggs, safety Malik Hooker and right tackle Terence Steele all came about last summer. That was also the time at which a restructure was worked out with right guard Zack Martin, ending his training camp holdout. All parties will no doubt look to avoid a repeat of that situation in Lamb’s case, but pressure will likely not ramp up on Dallas if and until he skips out on mandatory minicamp in June and/or training camp one month later.

“It doesn’t matter right now,” Cowboys OC Brian Schottenheimer said of Lamb’s absence during voluntary workouts (via Gehlken). “CeeDee’s a pro. He’s going to know what to do. I know Dak and the guys have some communication with him. We know he’s taking care of business, and when he gets back here, we’ll certainly be able to find ways to get him the ball.”

Lamb led the NFL in receptions last season (135), posting 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns. Those career-high numbers put him the Cowboys’ record books and upped his market value on an extension. Tyreek Hill‘s standout Dolphins accord – which carries a $30MM AAV based in part on a backloaded final season of non-guaranteed money – has recently been surpassed by Amon-Ra St. Brown and A.J. Brown‘s deals with the Lions and Eagles, respectively. Whether or not Lamb joins them atop the WR market (and the process by which he gets there) will remain a key Cowboys storyline.

Jerry Jones On Cowboys’ Financial Approach

April 28th, 2024 at 3:20pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cowboys’ lack of outside additions in free agency and movement in terms of extending their top players has been a key talking point this offseason. Many of Dallas’ younger in-house options will be counted on to take a step forward in 2024, while plenty of attention remains focused on the financial futures of quarterback Dak Prescott, wideout CeeDee Lamb and edge rusher Micah Parsons.

To no surprise, owner Jerry Jones has faced plenty of questions related to Dallas’ comparative inaction on the market in 2024. Linebacker Eric Kendricks and running back Royce Freeman represent the only veterans brought in to date, and the team’s tight cap situation is a key reason why. As Jones recently stated, retaining any or all members of the Prescott-Lamb-Parsons trio will lead to notable complications elsewhere on the roster.

“Our rules of this game is to have a salary cap,” Jones said, via The Athletic’s Jon Machota (subscription required). “There’s no question we’ve been operating on the credit card. That’s how we’ve had Dak Prescott plus his great supporting cast around him for the last three or four years… So if you decide to have a key player and you pay him to that extent, then he’s going to have less supporting cast around. Look around. That’s the way it works.

“We have known that you were going to basically have to have less in order to have some of the players that we want to have at the prices they are. You got to have less supporting cast. There’s no getting around it.”

The Cowboys have indeed enjoyed having Lamb and Parsons on their rookie contracts while retaining Prescott at a high cap hit. The latter is in line to play out 2024 on the final year of his pact, and while Dallas is hopeful a new agreement can be worked out, the 30-year-old recently suggested he is open to reaching free agency. Prescott could command $60MM per year on a new accord, and Lamb and Parsons could each approach the top of the market at their respective positions.

Especially in recent years, many teams around the league have attempted to get ahead of the curve by locking up top producers early and leaving others to react to a new price point. Jones confirmed the Cowboys are instead taking a different approach with their foundational players. In the case of Prescott and Lamb in particular, Dallas is content to wait for the next wave of new deals.

“We’d like to see some more leaves fall,” Jones added. “We’d like to see some more action… It’s on your mind. It’d be madness not to know that the contracts are ahead. I want to see a few more cards played, candidly. If you got trouble with when the timing is around here, it’s because I’m not ready to go.”

The top of the QB market has surpassed $50MM per season, while the league’s ascending receivers are benefiting from the position’s lucrative nature. Recent extensions for the likes of DeVonta Smith, Amon-Ra St. Brown and A.J. Brown have offered a potential framework for a Lamb deal. The likes of Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase and Jaylen Waddle could also push the top of the market even higher.

Lamb is absent from Dallas’ offseason program amidst the lack of negotiations on an extension. Given the way things are headed from a financial standpoint, any new deal (which could avoided for several months since he is set to play out his fifth-year option in 2024) will drastically alter Dallas’ cap situation. That is certainly true of Prescott and Parsons as well (both of whom also are still firmly in the team’s long-term plans), but a patient approach will apparently remain the Cowboys’ preference.

Cowboys, WR CeeDee Lamb Have Not Discussed Extension

April 15th, 2024 at 11:32am CST by Adam La Rose

APRIL 15: Lamb is indeed absent from the Cowboys’ facility as the team’s offseason program begins, Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. That comes as little surprise with plenty of ground to be made up in contract negotiations. It will be interesting to see how much progress is made on that front ahead of OTAs (in May), mandatory minicamp (June) and training camp (July) as the summer unfolds.

APRIL 12: Much of the Cowboys’ 2024 offseason has been defined by the team’s lack of progress on extension talks with quarterback Dak Prescott entering the final year of his current deal. On the horizon, though, are mega-deals for edge rusher Micah Parsons and wideout CeeDee Lamb.

With the latter having been drafted one year earlier than the former, he understandably represents a higher priority for Dallas. Lamb is in line to secure a massive raise on his second contract, but he is already on the books for 2024 via his $17.99MM fifth-year option. Team and player are positioned to discuss an extension this offseason, but for now that is not the case.

Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reports Lamb’s representatives have not yet held any “substantial talks” with the Cowboys about a new deal. The 25-year-old has been eligible for a new deal since last offseason, but his public comments on the matter have included a desire to become the league’s highest-paid receiver. Reaching that goal would require an AAV above Tyreek Hill‘s $30MM figure along with outpacing the value of Justin Jefferson‘s presumed Vikings extension.

As Watkins’ colleague Michael Gehlkin noted earlier this week, Lamb may not take part in the Cowboys’ upcoming offseason program. That process – which begins April 15 – is voluntary, though, and an absence would not carry nearly the same weight as a hold out (or the increasingly popular hold-in) during training camp. With an extension not in sight, it would come as no surprise at this point if Lamb attempted to exercise his leverage to help work out a monster contract.

The Oklahoma product set a new franchise record for receivers in 2023 (135 catches, 1,749 yards, 14 total touchdowns). That production earned him a third straight Pro Bowl invitation along with first-team All-Pro honors. Lamb’s age and statistical output have him positioned to occupy a large portion of the Cowboys’ cap sheet for years to come, but the same is of course true for Prescott (whom the team still hopes to extend this offseason) and Parsons (who is now extension-eligible and will no doubt become one of the league’s highest-paid defenders on his next pact).

As things stand, the Cowboys are projected to have just over $100MM in cap space for the 2025 season. That figure will change dramatically over time, of course, especially when clarity emerges for any or all members of the Prescott-Lamb-Parsons trio. In Lamb’s case, it appears significant progress will still need to be made for a multi-year agreement to be hammered out.

Micah Parsons Not Actively Pursuing Cowboys Extension

February 10th, 2024 at 7:23pm CST by Adam La Rose

The 2024 offseason will require a number of key financial decisions involving the Cowboys’ nucleus. Top of the list in that respect is a new deal for quarterback Dak Prescott, but wideout CeeDee Lamb and edge rusher Micah Parsons are also eligible for monster extensions of their own.

Lamb was drafted in 2020, one year before Parsons. The former is on the books for $17.99MM in 2024 on his fifth-year option, but Parsons will no doubt have his option picked up this spring. That move will keep him in place through the 2025 campaign. As a result, Lamb represents a more pressing order of business for Dallas.

Parsons acknowledged as much during a recent appearance on NFL Network’s Super Bowl Live. As a result, he is not aggressively pursuing an extension, one which will likely put him at or near the top of the pecking order among edge rushers. Lamb, too, will not come cheap on his second contract; he has publicly stated a desire to become the NFL’s highest-paid receiver.

Lamb posted single-season franchise records for both receptions (135) and yards (1,749) in 2023, scoring a career-high 14 total touchdowns along the way. The 24-year-old earned a first-team All-Pro nod along with a third career Pro Bowl invite as a result, and he could command an AAV at or near Tyreek Hill‘s market-setting $30MM on his next pact. Negotiations on that front will likely take precedence over talks with Parsons, though the latter is amenable to hammering out a deal in the near future.

“If they’re ready to talk about a deal and get a deal done, I’ll be super excited,” Parsons said. “You know I’m ready to be [with the] Cowboys for life, this is the team I wanted to be with, this is the team I want to win a championship with.”

Parsons has racked up 40.5 sacks in his three seasons with the Cowboys, posting at least 13 in each campaign. That consistency has earned the former Defensive Rookie of the Year a number of accolades (three total All-Pro honors, three Pro Bowl nods) and upped his market value. A new Parsons contract will not kick in until 2026, by which time the edge market may have seen further growth from what has already taken place. Nick Bosa received the league’s largest deal for a non-quarterback in September, inking a $34MM-per-year 49ers extension with $122.5MM guaranteed.

Parsons will no doubt be aiming for a pact similar or larger in value to Bosa’s when the time comes to work out a mega-extension. That time will likely not come this offseason, though, or at least not until the Prescott and Lamb situations gain more clarity. In any case, developments on the Parsons front will be worth monitoring given his importance to Dallas’ defense.

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