FRISCO, Texas (AP) — CeeDee Lamb’s monthslong holdout with the Dallas Cowboys is over, and the All-Professional receiver is an in depth second to Justin Jefferson because the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL historical past.
Lamb and the Cowboys agreed Monday on a $136 million, four-year contract with $100 million assured, three folks accustomed to the deal instructed The Related Press.
The folks spoke to the AP on situation of anonymity as a result of the extension hasn’t been introduced.
Lamb missed all of coaching camp in California after additionally skipping obligatory minicamp within the offseason. The June absence on the membership’s headquarters began a day after Jefferson agreed with the Minnesota Vikings on a $140 million contract that made him the highest-paid non-QB.
The common annual worth of Lamb’s extension is $34 million, which is roughly twice what the 25-year-old former Oklahoma standout will make within the last 12 months of his rookie deal this season.
Coach Mike McCarthy acknowledged {that a} deal was in place.
“The response clearly was nice,” McCarthy stated throughout a convention name that was scheduled earlier than the membership reached a cope with Lamb. “All people within the workplace was fired up.”
Lamb was drafted seventeenth total in 2020, when the Cowboys had been shocked he was nonetheless out there and did not hesitate on a choose at a place that wasn’t actually a necessity on the time.
Jefferson went 5 picks later, then had no less than 1,400 yards receiving in every of his first three seasons. Lamb wasn’t that prolific however closed the hole considerably final season with 1,749 yards and an NFL-best 135 catches. Lamb accomplished his trifecta of profession highs with 12 touchdowns.
The settlement comes 13 days earlier than Dallas’ opener at Cleveland on Sept. 8. That is extra time than the Cowboys had 5 years in the past when working again Ezekiel Elliott ended a preseason-long holdout 4 days earlier than the opener.
Earlier than the Cowboys left for California, Lamb spent loads of time with quarterback Dak Prescott. Now the pair could have a handful of practices to fine-tune their connection earlier than dealing with the Browns.
Prescott has stated he was positive Lamb was figuring out whereas away from the crew, and McCarthy did not have any motive to doubt it.
“The general conditioning I don’t assume’s going to be a priority,” McCarthy stated. “It’s actually simply extra the connection and the little issues, the small print. He wants body-on-body, contested catches, have his contact stability examined and all these varieties of issues. You actually solely get that taking part in soccer.”
Whereas Lamb’s numbers early in his profession weren’t as flashy as these of Jefferson, he has steadily improved in catches, yards and touchdowns every of his 4 seasons. Lamb’s first 1,000-yard season — and the primary of three consecutive Professional Bowls — got here in his second 12 months.
A fifth 12 months of accelerating all three shall be fairly the problem because the Cowboys chase a fourth consecutive journey to the playoffs coming off three straight 12-5 seasons. Dallas is 1-3 within the postseason these three years.
“Final 12 months’s numbers, that’s a excessive bar,” McCarthy stated of Lamb. “I believe the largest factor, he’s able to it. We positively wish to be within the place on the finish of this common season the place all people’s taking part in their finest soccer. So long as that traces up with massive numbers, I believe we’d all be blissful.”
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Maaddi reported from Tampa, Florida.
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Schuyler Dixon And Rob Maaddi, The Related Press