FRISCO, Texas – Ah, the suspense, the hysteria, the overreaction to the contract negotiations between the Cowboys and CeeDee Lamb.
And in the end, on Monday the Cowboys tucked his guaranteed fifth-year option of $17.99 million into a four-year, $136 million extension package CeeDee ended up signing on Tuesday, the two sides agreeing to remain in football cahoots for five more seasons.
Shocking?
Come on, you knew this would finally take place. No way the Cowboys were going to start the 2024 season without last year's NFL receptions leader. The man who rewrote the franchise receiving record book with his 135 catches for 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns, plus two more rushing for a total of 14 touchdowns in a single season.
That is the most touchdowns scored since matching Ezekiel Elliott's 14 in 2019, and then the most since Elliott's 16 in his rookie season of 2016.
Want more when it comes to scoring touchdowns?
Now, Dez Bryant had 16 touchdowns in 2014. Next, Terrell Owens had 15 in 2007, then Emmitt Smith 15 in both 1998 and 1996. So for historical context, CeeDee's 14 total touchdowns in 2023 came up just two short of the most single-season Cowboys touchdowns in the past 28 years, needing to go back to 1995 for more when Smith set the franchise touchdown mark and at that time the NFL record at 25.
Come on, Jerry Jones is no dummy. He knows this Cowboys team needs Lamb. And CeeDee is no dummy, not going to forfeit $1 million a game extending his holdout while under contract into the regular season. This was always going to get done, the breathless rhetoric a waste of time.
This reminds me of the Summer of 1992, the Cowboys second of these now four 88s, Michael Irvin, holding out for a new contract. The difference being CeeDee and Jerry were squabbling over millions. Michael and Jerry were butting heads over a few $100,000.
But for those not old enough to remember, Michael missed all of training camp that year. In fact, with the season opener scheduled for Monday night, Sept. 7, Michael and his local agent, Steve Endicott, didn't walk into The Ranch past me until that Thursday evening, Sept. 3, to sign a three-year, $3.75 million deal. Irvin would have just one padded practice before suiting up for that home opener against the Redskins.
Come on, as if Michael was going to miss a Monday night nationally televised game, a paycheck, a chance to renew his rivalry with Washington cornerback Darrell Green. As soon as Michael was signed, head coach Jimmy Johnson declared, "He won't start" in the opener. That honor would belong to the guys in camp: Alvin Harper, Kelvin Martin and Alexander Wright.
And, by gosh, Michael didn't start. Ha, came in on the Cowboys' second offensive play. Caught five passes for 89 yards. Would go on in the next two games to catch 12 passes for 283 yards and four touchdowns. Would go on to lead the Cowboys with 78 catches for 1,396 yards (17.9 a catch) and seven touchdowns. Would go on in the playoffs to catch 18 more passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns, both in the Cowboys' 52-17 Super Bowl XXVII victory over Buffalo.
Here is my money on CeeDee starting Sept. 8 against Cleveland, with all of two padded practices under his belt.
What about it, CeeDee? Will you be ready for the opener?
"Yes, bro," Lamb said of meeting up with Cleveland while not having played a game or participated in a practice with the team since the 48-32 playoff loss to Green Bay on Jan. 14. "No question.
"I'll be ready."
No question needed to be asked.
- Dollars and Sense: So the raw numbers of Lamb's contract are a four-year extension worth $136 million, $38 million signing bonus, $67 million guaranteed at signing and $100 million total guaranteed for a yearly average of $34 million. What isn't readily pointed out is the Cowboys still had to account for his 2024 guaranteed fifth-year option of $17.99 million that became part of the package. So really, the Cowboys have control over CeeDee for five full years, meaning averaging out his signing bonus and five base salaries comes to right at $31 million a year. And while the extension allows the signing bonus to be prorated at $7.6 million over five years, his 2024 cap hit is $8.75 million, clearing roughly $9.25 million of cap space this year. Oh, but next year, CeeDee's cap balloons to $35.45, and now you understand the Cowboys concerns with trying to sign Dak Prescott to an extension, along with Micah Parsons coming up on his tail. Know this, though. CeeDee's final-year base salary of $30.99 million for 2028 is not guaranteed, so when it comes to guaranteed money on the extension, the Cowboys could get out after four years for $122 million with $7 million dead. So that makes the extension average $30.5 million. Structure, structure, structure.
- Adding Vets: The Cowboys are working the system to acquire two veteran players, defensive tackle Linval Joseph and signing running back Dalvin Cook. Joseph to the 53 for more experience and beef at defensive tackle and Cook to the practice squad, allowing the veteran running back time to ramp up but still be eligible for as many as three game-day elevations before having to decide if he is signed to the 53-man roster. Joseph, going on 36, brings 14 years of NFL experience for a base salary of $2 million, with an opportunity to make another $2 million in incentives. As for Cook, the newly installed practice squad veteran maximum is $21,000 a week but receives 1/18th of his negotiated base salary per game if elevated to the 53. Cowboys realize Cook needs to get in football shape. After a decent workout, the Cowboys buy some time further evaluating where he's at in his career. Same could be the case with veteran defensive end Carl Lawson, recently signed to the 90-man roster then released, but now signing him back to the practice squad. Not only saves them a roster spot on the 53 for a guy not ready to play but also cap space. If signed to the veteran minimum of $1.2 million, comes to roughly a $46,000 savings per week.
- Keeping An Eye On: Remember, this is only the initial 53-man roster. Things can change, so any player sensing being on the edge of the 53, don't go buy a house just yet. The Cowboys still are roster hunting, scouring the waiver wire and looking at 31 other rosters for potential trade prospects. The Cowboys need to be on the lookout for a more veteran backup cornerback with DaRon Bland out for likely the first four games and previous fourth corner Caelen Carson now considered a starter. Also likely need more veteran depth on the offensive line at swing tackle and probably at defensive end, too, especially if their plans are to use Micah Parsons some at linebacker and foregoing retaining the suspended Al-Quadin Muhammad. Were checking out veteran Tyus Bowser, beset by injuries over the past two seasons, missing all of 2023 with knee problems and released this spring by Baltimore.
- Looking Back. While researching that 1992 training cap Irvin missed, also holding out that summer were defensive end Tony Tolbert, strong safety James Washington, tight end Jay Novacek and center Mark Stepnoski, a more common practice back in those days. Also noticed while writing back then for our Cowboys newsletter The Insider, with the Cowboys coming off an 11-5 season in 1991 and a first-round playoff victory, polled 13 media members for their 1992 record predictions, an 11-5 coming the closest to the Cowboys eventually finishing 13-3, those by veteran Dallas AP sports editor Denne Freeman and veteran now retired Fort Worth Star-Telegram columnist Gil LeBreton. And if I can pat myself on the back – I think I will – my prediction of 12-4 became the closest, missing by one game, thank you very much. Hey, the Cowboys had just pulled off the trade for Charles Haley, the last piece to the defensive puzzle.
- Irvin Part II: You know what else happened that year? Irvin was late for the team charter to Detroit, and when one of the flight attendants told Jimmy he was missing, Jimmy asked, "What time were we supposed to take off?" He was told 2 p.m. "What time is it?" Told 2 p.m. "Shut the door, let's go," and the Cowboys left Irvin behind to find his own commercial flight to Detroit. Upon arrival at the team hotel, Jimmy told the star receiver his punishment would be not starting, having to sit out the first possession. When offensive coordinator Norv Turner found out, he asked Jimmy, "If we kick off, is that the first possession?" Uh, no Norv, but Irvin went on to catch five passes for 114 yards and a touchdown in the 37-3 win over a Lions team that had beaten the Cowboys twice in 1991, the second time a 38-6 whipping in the second round of the playoffs, their furthest playoff penetration since the 1982 NFL strike-shortened nine-game season Super Bowl tournament.
- Clouds Of Dust: As the NFL turns, because during the 2023 NFL Draft, the Cowboys sent a 2024 fifth-round draft choice to Kansas City for the Chiefs' No. 1 pick in the sixth round and selected cornerback Eric Scott, who they released Tuesday hoping to put him on the practice squad. But who should claim Scott for their 53-man roster but, uh, the Chiefs … Too bad Tennessee claimed safety Julius Wood, but the Cowboys were stocked at safety with starters Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson, and coveted backups Markquese Bell, Juanyeh Thomas and Israel Mukuamu … Glad to see these two corners clear waivers and signed to the practice squad, Josh Butler and Kemon Hall, since that fourth cornerback spot still is up for grabs … As long as Damone Clark's knee soreness improves and DeMarvion Overshown stays healthy, really like the six-man linebacker room, and even more so if Micah Parsons is a part-timer in there too … And don't forget this when analyzing the running back room for a home-run hitter: The Cowboys will hand the ball to Lamb and KaVontae Turpin, combining for 25 carries last season.
And for today's last word, we turn to owner Jerry Jones for this somewhat short but sweet proverb when asked about his conversations with CeeDee after handing him that type of money the 25-year-old has never seen, preferencing what he said about taking care of your money with, "Be careful … be careful, look under the hood."
Sez Jerry, "You don't have to be smart to make money, you do not have to be. You can be very talented. You can be very driven. You do not have to be smart to make money. But you have to be real smart to keep it."
Amen to that.
