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This is fine.
The Dallas Cowboys are getting ready to play their first exhibition game of 2024 this coming weekend. On Thursday, they hosted their opponent, the Los Angeles Rams, in a practice scrimmage, to give both sides the opportunity to test themselves against someone in a different uniform. After two-plus weeks of training camp practices things are starting to heat up. Except, apparently, in the negotiaiton room between the Cowboys and star wideout CeeDee Lamb.
Lamb, holding out all offseason in hopes of securing a contract extension, is set to cross the $1.5 million fine threshold once the timer runs out leading up to the game. Dallas has already placed him on the Reserved/Did Not Report list, opening up his spot on the 90-man offseason roster.
He’s integral to the Dallas passing offense, earning First-Team All-Pro honors in 2023, and has seen numerous fellow wideouts earn lucrative contracts this offseason. There’s no knowing what Lamb is asking for, either in guaranteed money nor in average salary or contract length, but the market says he’s worth around $35 million a season and around $110 million guaranteed.
Whatever the ask is, owner Jerry Jones is scoffing at it; publicly.
On Thursday, Jones was asked about the status of negotiations and instead of giving a stock answer, he chose to continue negotiating in public, saying he sees no “urgency to get it done.”
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on contract talks with CeeDee Lamb: “I don’t have any urgency to get it done.” pic.twitter.com/Hfq2Rjk65C
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 8, 2024
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Question from Reporter 2: “Is there a sense of urgency as you begin the preseason to get CeeDee done?”
Answer from Jones: “No.”
Question from Reporter 2: “Why do you say that?”
Answer from Jones: “Just uh (long pause)… I went to high school. I went to college. I don’t know why I said it. I’m just saying… I don’t know… (laughing) I don’t have a sense of urgency about getting it done. Pick any reason you want. I was at Nobu two days ago, give that as a reason. Whatever you want, put it out there.” – via Nick Harris on DallasCowboys.com
Yikes.
Lamb, who hasn’t spoken much, if at all, this offseason about the negotiations, replied.
— CeeDee Lamb (@_CeeDeeThree) August 8, 2024
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Double yikes.
The Cowboys and Jones are no strangers to negotiating in public, and the club has clearly drawn lines in the sand about their current roster.
Jones and company did little to augment their roster in free agency, avoiding the usual in-house extensions or re-signings, and have a ton of players and coaches on the final years of their deals.
Lamb can still accrue another $2.2 million in forgivable fines before the regular season starts.
Once that happens, he will have six weeks to report or else his contract, which will pay him $17.991 million before these fines, tolls. That means the same parameters of this final contract year will become the contract for 2025.
As it stands, even if Lamb reports the club can place the franchise tag on him for next season.