Dallas Cowboys News & Rumors

In recent days, the Cowboys have made renewed efforts to hammer out a CeeDee Lamb extension. The latest update on one of the team’s three key extension situations indicates plenty of work is still required.

[RELATED: Dak Prescott Open To In-Season Extension Talks]

Dallas has reportedly offered a deal worth more than A.J. Brown‘s Eagles pact ($32MM per season) but short of $33MM annually. The top of the receiver market reached $35MM when Justin Jefferson inked a record-breaking Vikings extension this offseason. Jefferson now resides as the league’s top earner for non-quarterbacks, although a Lamb deal may not need to surpass that mark.

Nevertheless, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network notes the AAV of the Cowboys’ best offer to date is one of several issues which need to be worked out (video link). Matters such as cashflow and guarantee structure – in addition to an elevated AAV – remain points of contention where further negotiation will be required for a deal to be in place. An agreement for Lamb may be closer than one for quarterback Dak Prescott, but Garafolo’s report confirms there is still a gap to be bridged between team and player.

One of several wideouts seeking a new or upgraded deal this offseason, Lamb skipped out on OTAs and mandatory minicamp. His decision to remain away from the team during training camp has resulted in mandatory fines accruing, but the 25-year-old is attached to his rookie contract by way of the fifth-year option. As a result, those penalties can be waived by the Cowboys if/when a deal is struck and Lamb reports to the team.

Jefferson’s monster accord features nearly $89MM guaranteed, far more than the second-highest in that regard (Tyreek Hill, $54MM). Lamb will likely fall in between those two figures on his pact, but the Cowboys’ best offer in terms of locked in compensation apparently needs to be upped for an agreement to be possible. Money in the first few years of the pact (especially the signing bonus) is also a critical component for team and player; the size of the signing bonus and the length of the contract are central in determining cap hits.

Managing to keep Lamb, Prescott and edge rusher Micah Parsons in the fold beyond 2024 will be a key challenge for the Cowboys. The terms of a pact for each member of that trio – which, in the latter’s case will likely not be known for another year, in spite of team’s public stance on that front – will dictate Dallas’ cap outlook for the foreseeable future. Getting Lamb in the fold in time for Week 1 remains the expectation, but an agreement may not be as imminent as it previously seemed.

AUGUST 16: Lamb and the Cowboys spoke over the phone on Thursday in another attempt to finalize an agreement, Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reports. His update confirms the team’s best offer is under $33MM per season, but it would be enough to surpass A.J. Brown‘s new Eagles pact ($32MM AAV) for second in the receiver pecking order. Notably, Watkins adds that the 25-year-old’s exact asking price is still not known. With no firm deadline in place on a Prescott resolution, efforts to end Lamb’s holdout will no doubt continue in the immediate future.

AUGUST 15: As training camp continues, attention for the Cowboys is still aimed at negotiations on the Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb fronts. The latter is holding out as he seeks out a deal near the top of the receiver market, but Dallas has yet to reach that level on an extension offer.

Lamb was previously connected to an asking price which would make him the league’s highest-paid non-quarterback, but that may not be necessary to get a deal over the finish line. Justin Jefferson set the market with a $35MM-per-year Vikings extension, and any Lamb accord will no doubt come close to that figure. However, Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports the Cowboys’ offers to date have yet to reach an AAV of $33MM.

The latest update on the matter pointed to a Lamb extension being closer than a Prescott one, but Hill’s report confirms there is still work to be done for either to be finalized. Lamb skipped offseason workouts and has accumulated daily fines (which can be waived) by remaining absent from training camp. Owner Jerry Jones‘ comments about Lamb’s ongoing absence drew a quick social media response from the All-Pro, but efforts are ongoing to work out an agreement.

“We’re conscientiously working to get something done,” Jones confirmed (via ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry). “I don’t want to say anything is progress, but it’s ongoing and that’s just the nature of what you have when you’ve got an agreement and you’re still working to get a new one.”

Jefferson’s pact includes nearly $89MM in guarantees, and a similar figure will likely be a target for Lamb on a long-term pact. The next-highest locked in figure for wideouts is Tyreek Hill‘s new Dolphins pact ($54MM), so Lamb will look to bridge that gap. The Oklahoma alum cemented his status as one of the league’s top receivers and the focal point of Dallas’ offense in 2023 by posting a franchise record-breaking 135-1,749-12 statline.

Of course, any monster investment made in Lamb needs to have a Prescott deal (which could top $55MM per year) and a future Micah Parsons extension in mind. The Cowboys’ 2024 hopes will rest heavily on the play of that trio, but uncertainty continues to loom over its members’ long-term futures. In Lamb’s case in particular, it will be interesting to see if traction is gained by subsequent Dallas offers in the coming days.