Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has been involved in an unending dispute with the Dallas Cowboys this offseason because he is still holding out for a new contract. Jerry Jones, the general manager and owner, faced harsh criticism over the weekend for implying that there is not a “sense of urgency” to close a deal.
Not having one of your best players in training camp would be a “urgent” problem for most teams, considering the regular season is less than a month away.
Jerry Jones had to have realized this too, since prior to the Cowboys’ opening preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams, he retracted his remarks.
Jones clarified his prior words after acknowledging that he “got in trouble” over them. There was little feeling of urgency, since he stated that Lamb would not be suiting up for this game anyhow. Jones expressly said, “You are missed,” to the All-Pro receiver.
Jerry Jones & Co. are attempting to contain the damage with this. It is encouraging that the organization noticed and addressed his earlier, strange statement.
It is imperative for fans of the Cowboys to pray that this comes too late. Lamb has already removed any reference to the Cowboys from his social media accounts and has engaged in aggressive online behavior directed against Jones.
This is obviously a business, and if the Cowboys offered Lamb the highest salary in the league, he would probably accept the offer. Jones has been playing hardball throughout the summer, despite possibly changing his tone in the media. This drama might take a while to resolve unless he modifies his approach during the contract negotiations with Lamb.
