The three-time Pro Bowler is set to enter the fifth year of his rookie contract, earning $17.991 million, fully guaranteed. Given his production and importance to the Cowboys, Lamb is due significantly more in the future.
With the division rival Eagles handing DeVonta Smith a three-year, $75 million extension, the optics of Lamb skipping workouts are only heightened. Lamb is likely targeting well more than Smith’s $25 million-per-year average, and with the likes of Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase also up for new deals, the cost could rise the longer the process plays out.
With the offseason program’s voluntary nature, Lamb’s absence is a standard step in the negotiating process. It reminds the public that a deal still needs to be done. If he skips mandatory minicamp in June, that’s a louder statement. And if an agreement still isn’t done in July and he either holds out or stages a hold-in during training camp, that adds weight to the situation.
For now, Lamb skipping workouts is notable, but there is still time for a deal to get done.