To say it’s been a hectic week for the Dallas Cowboys would be an understatement. All that matters is that they ended CeeDee Lamb’s strike. Lamb officially signed his blockbuster four-year extension and was back on the practice field on Tuesday.
Addressing the media for the first time in months, Lamb insisted he would play all snaps in Week 1. Because Lamb signed so late and hasn’t practiced all summer, fans are concerned about his conditioning and the risk of a soft tissue injury.
Lamb has allayed any concerns about that. He’s also been studying film while he’s away, so two weeks should be plenty of time for him and Dak Prescott to rekindle their excellent chemistry and get familiar with any changes Mike McCarthy has made to the playbook.
With Lamb’s contract now in place, attention now turns to whether the Cowboys can reach an agreement with Prescott on a new contract. Dallas has doubled and tripled its commitment to Dak, but Lamb wants management to walk the talk.
“When you look at our numbers together, they’re at the top of the list,” Lamb said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic. “I have no doubt they’re going to get a deal done. We all know I want Dak here. Jerry wants Dak here, too, so let’s just get this under control and stop the speculation.”
Man, was Lamb overlooked or what? Hours after landing in Dallas to sign his contract, he’s already telling Jones what to do. Someone has to do it, right?
While Prescott and the Cowboys are locked in negotiations, the Jones family seems content to let the Pro Bowler play out the final year of his contract and resume talks in the offseason. That would be a big mistake. The closer Dak gets to being a free agent, the more money he can legitimately demand.
Fortunately, a simple analysis of the tea leaves suggests the Cowboys understand the urgency to extend Prescott’s contract. On the one hand, it’s hard to imagine Dallas making Lamb the second-richest receiver in NFL history if they weren’t sure who would pass the ball to him.
Additionally, the details of Lamb’s contract suggest the Cowboys are working hard behind the scenes to sign Prescott before Week 1. Lamb’s base salary is just $1.15 million in 2024 before rising to $26.65 million in 2025. His salary cap hit is $8.75 million this season before rising to $35.45 million next year.
With the signing of Lamb, Dallas now has the finances to make Prescott the highest-paid quarterback in league history.
Jerry Jones likes to wait until the last minute to pay his stars, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if this dragged on into next year. Jones would be smart toward his $136 million receiver. Lamb’s words were a prominent voice even before his contract, and now they carry even more weight.
