One day after Justin Jefferson became the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, coach Mike McCarthy said that standout wide receiver CeeDee Lamb had missed the start of the Dallas Cowboys’ required minicamp with no intentions to report. This coincides with Lamb’s search for a new contract.
According to the Dallas Morning News, Lamb, 25, will be fined $16,953 for skipping the first day of the minicamp, $33,908 for Wednesday, and $50,855 if the minicamp is extended to Thursday. The three-time Pro Bowler also missed the Cowboys’ optional organized team activities (OTAs) amid rumored contract discussions.
Lamb is owed about $18 million in 2024 under a fifth-year option on his rookie contract, but he is set to enter free agency after the season. Jefferson, meanwhile, reportedly signed a four-year, $140 million contract deal with the Minnesota Vikings on Monday, resetting the receiver market.
Five other wide receivers signed new contracts this offseason, including the Philadelphia Eagles’ A.J. Brown ($32 million per year), the Miami Dolphins’ Jaylen Waddle ($28.25 million), the Eagles’ DeVonta Smith ($25 million), and the Detroit Lions’ Amon-Ra St. Brown ($30 million).
Lamb has been the Cowboys’ best pass-catcher for years, racking up over 1,700 receiving yards in back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons. In 2023, he led the league with 135 receptions and 12 touchdowns, a career best.
The two parties have lately communicated, but not enough to have Lamb attend the necessary minicamp.
The Cowboys’ next deadline is July 23, when they are expected to report to training camp in Oxnard, California. If Lamb does not report, he will risk a $40,000 punishment each day.
The Cowboys are probably not concerned about Lamb upsetting his output by missing three more days of June practice. This summer, the wideout worked out on his own and even had some sessions with Dak Prescott away from the facility.
Training camp in mid-July will be the next test to determine whether both parties are making progress toward a new agreement. If a deal is not made by then and Lamb continues to sit out, the frustration may escalate, especially considering the wideout’s significance to the offense.
