In the case of the Dallas Cowboys and star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, seemingly nothing has gone to plan this offseason. The star wide receiver is fresh off his best season in the NFL but hasn’t been around the team at all as he awaits a new deal.
With the contract situation still unsettled, Lamb took to social media on Monday to share an interesting post on Instagram that has the NFL world wondering just what it all means.
CeeDee Lamb Gets Social Media Buzzing With Latest Post
It’s not hard to conclude that there may be tension between Lamb and the Cowboys right now. However, what has become a challenge is trying to connect how superhero movies and Dallas’ superstar connect.
While both of those things never typically blend together, Lamb posted a Spider-Man picture on Instagram on Monday that has left those around the NFL world wondering what the correlation is.
Dallas Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb with an interesting update to his Instagram story. pic.twitter.com/CE1igq4Fza
— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) August 19, 2024
This photo has one noticeable difference from your typical Spider-Man picture, however. It’s not the usual red and blue suit we’re used to seeing; it’s the black suit worn by Venom, Spider-Man’s antihero.
While it could mean nothing in the grand scheme, in today’s world of social media, where players use their platforms to make a stance, some are wondering if it’s a statement regarding the current state of affairs.
Could Lamb be signaling that he’s the bad guy? Could it mean he’s ready to suit up? What if he’s just watching the movie and likes the scene? Only Lamb really knows the true meaning, and the rest of us are left trying and find out.
As the NFL regular season kicks off in just over two weeks, Lamb and the Cowboys are still at a standstill regarding his contract situation. The timeline is tightening up, with every passing day getting closer to Week 1.
Could this be a sign of Lamb’s feelings about it all, or simply nothing? Like most things related to America’s Team, it hasn’t been easy, and this may be another layer worth monitoring as the season draws closer.
Lamb’s Contract Saga Continues
Lamb is in the last year of his rookie contract, and the team has opted to flip the fifth-year option that pays him $17.9 million.
For over a year now, the Cowboys’ decision-makers have known that a Lamb deal needed to get done, and they’ve alluded to this on several occasions when discussing their cap situation. And yet, Dallas hasn’t operated with any sense of urgency in negotiations.
As a result, Lamb has been away from the team for the entire offseason, including mandatory minicamp and now deep into training camp. With many of his counterparts having signed new deals this offseason, the Cowboys’ star wide receiver has been patiently waiting for his time to come.
However, his new social media post raises questions about its meaning, suggesting that his patience is running thin.
With the season fast approaching, some in the league, like ESPN’s Jeff Darlington, are unsure when this will all come together.
“It really doesn’t feel like they’ve gotten to a point where they know the annual salary, where they know the contract length, where they know the real structure of the contract where it becomes guaranteed money,” Darlington starts.
“So, yes, it could all come together very quickly, but we don’t really have any of those things feeling like there is any reason to think it is imminent.
“So, the best I can tell you is that behind the scenes, the Cowboys remain optimistic, but until they get much closer to that number, that contract that Justin Jefferson has at $35 million a year, and maybe it doesn’t have to be all the way there, we’re not there yet.”
Whether the apprehension is from Lamb’s side or Dallas’, both parties have been preparing for this for well over a year now. The fact it has gotten to this point is unsettling and something that has left those around the NFL scratching their heads.
What the new social media post means is up for interpretation, but what isn’t is the obvious frustrations mounting from both sides. There is still much belief a deal will get done, but many believe that this long-time standoff could have and should have been avoided.
