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Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer
FRISCO, Texas — Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has ended his holdout and agreed to a four-year, $136 million deal that makes him the second-highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Monday.
The deal includes a $38 million signing bonus, the largest ever given to a wide receiver, and $100 million guaranteed, per sources.
Lamb was set to play the 2024 season on the $17.99 million fifth-year option of his rookie deal and become a free agent after the season, but the Cowboys were able to lock him up through the 2028 season with the new deal.
The Minnesota Vikings’ Justin Jefferson tops the market at $35 million a season. The Philadelphia Eagles’ A.J. Brown checks in at $32 million per year, the Detroit Lions’ Amon-Ra St. Brown at $30.003 million and the Miami Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill at $30 million.
The deal makes Lamb the highest-paid wide receiver in Cowboys’ history.
In 2020, Amari Cooper signed a five-year, $100 million deal with $40 million fully guaranteed. In 2015, Dez Bryant signed a five-year, $70 million deal with $45 million guaranteed.
By missing training camp and three preseason games, Lamb could be fined more than $3 million. But the team has the ability to rescind the penalty since he was on his rookie contract.
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said Monday that Lamb’s return will boost the morale of his team.
“Not only with what he brings to the table — we’ve been talking about what he does with his production — but when that big smile he walks in the locker room, everybody’s going to be fired up because that’s the kind of juice. He brings, that’s that type of energy to our locker room,” McCarthy said.
The Cowboys have three practices this week at The Star in Frisco, Texas, but will work Lamb into action smartly after he was not at training camp in Oxnard, California. Lamb continued to work out on his own, but the club wants to reduce the risk of any type of injury leading into the Sept. 8 season opener against the Cleveland Browns
“CeeDee, in particular, he can run forever. I mean he loves to run. This is a guy you have to cut him down at practice because he’ll keep going. That’s his general makeup. I’m actually more focused on not doing too much with him,” McCarthy said. “Overall conditioning, I don’t think I’ll be concerned. It’s more the connection and the little things, the details. We’ve got to get back in running the routes, get back to 7-on-7 and team. He needs body on body, contested catches, have his contact balance tested. All those things you really only get playing football.”
Lamb has proved worthy of the No. 88 worn by Hall of Famers Drew Pearson and Michael Irvin. Bryant also wore the number. The Cowboys never expected him to be available at the 17th overall pick in 2020. In fact, they had him rated as the sixth-best player in the draft that year. In his four seasons, Lamb’s 395 receptions, 5,145 yards and 18 100-yard games are the most by a Cowboys receiver, and he set team records in 2023 in catches (135) and yards (1,749), breaking marks held by Irvin.
Part of his value is his ability to move all over the formation. In 2023, he played 499 snaps in the slot with 69 catches for 907 yards and 12 touchdowns. He played 438 snaps outside with 66 catches for 842 yards and four touchdowns.
He had seven games with at least 11 receptions in 2023, most by a receiver in a season in NFL history. His 29 catches of 20 yards or more tied for the league lead with Hill. He had a 92-yard touchdown catch against the Lions, which was the second-longest reception in team history (Hall of Famer Bob Hayes had a 95-yarder in 1966).
He has 32 touchdown catches in his first four seasons, only Hayes (45) and Bryant (40) have more in team history. He ended last season with a touchdown in nine consecutive games.
The Cowboys approached Lamb, 25, with an extension in 2023, but talks never really progressed. He skipped the voluntary offseason program for the first time in his career.
The Cowboys say they believe Lamb’s best days are ahead, but will he and Dak Prescott continue together?
Prescott’s contract expires after this season, and while the team wants to sign him to a long-term extension, he could hit the open market because the Cowboys cannot use the franchise tag on him.
With the opener against the Browns approaching soon, the Cowboys can turn their full attention to getting Prescott under contract. They have had talks during the summer with Prescott saying they were going in the right direction.
With Lamb in the fold, perhaps they can progress even more.