Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones recently made controversial comments about the team’s star receiver CeeDee Lamb. Asked if he wants Lamb to get more opportunities, Jones said, “I don’t know about that. I want to see the ball spread to multiple WRs/TEs.”
That statement led some fans to speculate that Lamb could be getting the “Amari Cooper treatment,” a reference to the team’s former wide receiver receiving a large contract before being traded just two years later. One X-user even suggested that Jones may be intentionally limiting Lamb’s opportunities in a contract year to keep his numbers down. Despite Jones’ comments, Lamb is currently the Cowboys’ leading rusher with 358 of the team’s 1,089 yards in Week 5. Michael Gallup is a distant second with 180 yards. Lamb is also under contract with the team through 2023, and the Cowboys exercised his five-year option for $17.9 million.
However, when it comes time for Lamb’s extension negotiations, his agent will likely negotiate a contract comparable to the league’s top wide receivers, such as Tyreek Hill and Davante Adams, who average $30 million and $28 million per year, respectively. respectively. Lamb’s agent could legitimately ask for a similar deal if he can finish the season with comparable numbers.
Lamb’s contract negotiations will be difficultÂ
Fortunately for Cowboys fans, they have at least one more season with Lamb before the negotiations begin. But as the wide receiver market continues to explode, these conversations are sure to be difficult.
It remains to be seen whether Jones’ comments were simply an attempt to maintain leverage in future negotiations or were a sign of a larger problem within the team’s leadership. Regardless, Cowboys fans will be watching closely to see how Lamb does and how his contract negotiations progress over the next few years.
