Schefter says the deal is worth $136 million over four years, making the 25-year-old Lamb the second-highest paid non-quarterback in NFL history. The deal reportedly includes a $38 million signing bonus, which is the largest ever given to a wide receiver, Schefter said.
Cowboy fans and fantasy football managers have been worried about the status of the All-Pro wide receiver as training camp is set to soon close and the regular season starts on Sept. 8. With one year left on his rookie contract, Lamb has not participated in offseason team workouts or in any of the Cowboys training camp this year.
Lamb had a historically successful 2023 season, grabbing a team record 135 receptions for 1,749 yards, also a team record. There’s no doubt that those numbers gave Lamb all the leverage he needed to have a successful contract holdout, as many other top NFL receivers have signed lucrative new contracts and extensions over the past few months.
ESPN Sources: Cowboys and All-Pro WR CeeDee Lamb reached agreement today on a record four-year, $136 million deal that now makes him the second highest-paid non-QB in NFL history. The deal includes a $38 million signing bonus, the largest ever given to a wide receiver.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 26, 2024
Tory… pic.twitter.com/sROENDZJ22
Lamb’s holdout is the most recent high-profile example for the Cowboys, who are no strangers to having top players miss training camp in order to secure larger deals. Just last season, All-Pro guard Zack Martin purposely missed weeks of camp while negotiating a restructured deal that made him among the top paid linemen. And in 2019, running back Ezekiel Elliott skipped a large part of camp while he worked on a new contract with two years left on his rookie deal.
Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones has been vocal over the past few weeks about his optimism in getting Lamb back into camp. Earlier this month, the owner even said he didn’t feel a sense of urgency in reaching a deal with Lamb. He later clarified the comment, stating that Lamb likely wouldn't be missing playing time in preseason games even if had been in camp, as star players typically sit out such matchups.
With Lamb’s new contract set, Jones and the Cowboys still face a pair of daunting contract negotiations for pivotal players. QB Dak Prescott is in the final year of his contract, and All-Pro linebacker Micah Parsons is certainly looking forward to signing what will likely be among the biggest contracts for a defensive player in league history after this season ends.
