The CeeDee Lamb holdout is officially over. After holding out through training camp, the boycott came to an end with the agreement of his new deal.
Lamb’s new deal makes him the second-highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL by average annual value and ties him to the Dallas Cowboys for the foreseeable future.
With the deal now in place, Lamb can officially turn his attention back to football as he looks to not only help his team get over the hump in 2024, but continue his trek towards Cowboys royalty that could culminate into a career that rivals the greatest to ever wear the star.
CeeDee Lamb’s Contract Extension Details
Lamb made it clear all offseason that he wasn’t going to suit up for the Cowboys until he got a new deal that paid him what he was worth.
On Monday, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport was the first to report the details of Lamb’s extension.
🚨 🚨 🚨
The #Cowboys and All-Pro WR CeeDee Lamb agreed on a massive 4-year extension worth $136M, per me and @TomPelissero.
Lamb gets $100M guaranteed and a WR-record $38M signing bonus in a deal done by Tory Dandy of CAA. He’s the 2nd highest paid non-QB in NFL history. pic.twitter.com/QhfMpSErLd
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 26, 2024
Lamb’s deal follows an offseason that saw several other wide receivers ink new contracts, setting the stage for what Lamb eventually agreed to with the Cowboys.
Minnesota Vikings superstar Justin Jefferson‘s new deal set the benchmark with an average annual value of $35 million per year, laying the groundwork for Lamb’s deal to come together.
The new deal follows Lamb’s massive 2023 season. The young wideout finished with 135 receptions (most in the NFL), 1,749 receiving yards, and 12 touchdowns, which were all career highs for the dynamic pass catcher.
Now, with a new, freshly signed deal that keeps him in Dallas for four additional years, the Cowboys hope Lamb can pick up where he left off last season as he tries to help them reach the NFC Championship Game for the first time in over 28 years.
How Lamb Has Opportunity To Become Best WR in Franchise History
Lamb’s 2023 season was special, but it feels like it has a chance to be just the tip of the iceberg for the young wideout.
Looking at the surface, it was easy to see just how great he was. But when you take an even deeper look at Lamb and what he was able to do last season, it gives you an even brighter view of what may be a historic career for him — a career that could potentially put him among the best in franchise history.
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Lamb was at the top of nearly every statistic last season; digging further, he was among the leaders in every advanced metric as well.
According to TruMedia, of the players who received 100 or more targets in 2023, only Kansas City Chiefs WR Rashee Rice (77.5%) and Carolina Panthers WR Adam Thielen (75.2%) had better reception percentages than Lamb’s 74.6%.
Factoring in that Lamb commanded 44 more targets than Thielen and 79 more than Rice, the number is astonishing, revealing just how productive the Cowboys were when targeting Lamb. As that target number increases, especially with his explosive ability, one would assume that number would continue to dip.
Taking an even deeper dive into the numbers, TruMedia shows that Lamb’s offensive target EPA (97.66) is nearly 10 points higher than the next man, Miami Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill, at 88.27.
Lamb also led the NFL in plays of 20 yards or more, finishing with 30, while Hill and San Francisco 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk finished with 29 and 28, respectively.
Lamb’s 2023 season wasn’t just good — it was dominant.
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The Cowboys’ offense is built around getting Lamb the ball, and despite the defense knowing the game plan, it’s easier to say they’re going to stop him than to actually do it, evidenced by the astronomical numbers he put up in the first year of a new system.
Although the Cowboys have a very rich wide receiver history, with legends like Michael Irvin, Drew Pearson, and Dez Bryant coming before him, none have had a season on par with Lamb’s 2023 campaign. At just 25 years old, the best has yet to come for Lamb, and the sky is the limit.