Dallas Cowboys team owner Jerry Jones continues to preach the same message when it comes to CeeDee Lamb’s contract — there’s no urgency.
Just prior to the Cowboys’ second preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Jones spoke to 105.3 The Fan and said there is “zero” target date for Lamb’s new deal. The 25-year-old receiver continues to hold out of training camp as he seeks a new deal.
Via Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News:
“Jerry Jones told @1053thefan @KristiCowboy of a date to get CeeDee Lamb done: ‘Zero. Not worried about target dates,'” wrote Watkins on Saturday, August 17.
Jerry Jones Had Similar Message to CeeDee Lamb Prior to Preseason Opener
The message is the same one preached just a week prior when Jones created headlines days prior to the Cowboys’ preseason opener against the Los Angeles Rams by saying he doesn’t have “urgency” to get the deal done for Dallas’ top wide receiver.
“I don’t have any urgency to get it done,” Jones said on Aug. 8.
Jones attempted to diffuse his comments just prior to the Cowboys’ game against the Rams by clarifying his comments about Lamb and his potential new deal.
Via Grant Gordon of NFL.com:
“I think I got in trouble the other day when I said, ‘Look, we’re not urgent about CeeDee,'” Jones said on Aug. 11. “Well, no one appreciates CeeDee being on the field any more than I do. But let me say this: He wouldn’t be taking a snap out here today if he’d been here for [training camp].
“You gotta use your head when you expose key players. That gives the other younger players a chance to do it. We know exactly what CeeDee can do, and he’s worked out with Dak. So we wouldn’t have him out here. It has really not anything to do with his contract.”
Cowboys Offer CeeDee Lamb $33 Million Per Year Deal: Report
Although Jones keeps stressing there is no immediate urgency to get a deal done with Lamb — Dallas won’t open the regular season until Sep. 8 against the Cleveland Browns — they have tried getting a deal done with their three-time Pro Bowl receiver as both sides continue to negotiate.
As reported by Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, the Cowboys’ latest contract extension offer to Lamb was for $33 million per year. That’s obviously less than the $35 million per year deal that Justin Jefferson signed with the Minnesota Vikings. It would appear that Lamb is holding out to either match — if not surpass — Jefferson’s record-setting deal.
Both sides are obviously playing hardball, with Jones trying to downplay the urgency in getting a deal done with Lamb due to it being the preseason. However, as the season nears, Dallas will have a greater sense of urgency to get a deal done with Lamb. Considering the Cowboys only have one proven veteran receiver in Brandin Cooks and have been working the unproven Jalen Tolbert as a starter, Lamb’s value to the Cowboys — a playoff and potential Super Bowl contender — is of immense value.
