Cowboys' Jones: Don't have urgency on Lamb deal
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Sarah Barshop, ESPN Staff Writer
OXNARD, Calif. — As CeeDee Lamb continues his holdout, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said after the team held a joint practice with the Los Angeles Rams that he doesn’t “have a sense of urgency” about getting a contract extension done for the wide receiver.
Lamb is entering the last year of a deal scheduled to pay him $17.99 million this season and did not report to training camp as he looks for a new contract that would make him one of the NFL’s highest-paid receivers. The Cowboys placed Lamb on the reserve/did not report list earlier in the week to add a roster spot during training camp.
When asked whether he can envision the season opener coming and Lamb not being ready to go, Jones said, “Well, I don’t know about that, but I know that we’re getting great work, making real progress and I don’t think losing a step at where we’re at now.”
Lamb retweeted the quote on social media, saying, “lol.”
Jones then said “no” when he was asked whether he felt a sense of urgency and when asked why, he said through laughter, “I don’t know why I said it.”
“I don’t know,” Jones said. “I don’t have a sense of urgency about getting it done. Put any reason you want. I was at Nobu two days ago. Give that as the reason. Whatever you want to put out there.”
In June, the Minnesota Vikings signed wide receiver Justin Jefferson to a four-year, $140 million deal that included $110 million guaranteed. Jefferson’s $35 million a year average made him the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback.
Lamb skipped the Cowboys’ mandatory minicamp in June, leading to fines totaling roughly $100,000, although those can be rescinded by the team. Lamb is being fined $40,000 for every day he has missed during training camp, which can be rescinded since he’s on his rookie deal.
“Well, I don’t expect not to have CeeDee Lamb, but this camp has given … opportunities for the people who need it most,” Jones said. “And that’s the ones that aren’t proven like CeeDee. So it’s a great plan to see your receiving corps and develop a receiving corps from the rookies.”
In 17 games last season, Lamb had 135 catches for 1,749 receiving yards, both team records. His 135 receptions led the NFL.
ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry contributed to this report.
