Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is encouraged by his team’s latest conversations with disgruntled receiver CeeDee Lamb about a long-term contract extension.
“I don’t mean that to be insensitive to our fans or to CeeDee, but we’re in good shape there, and we are having promising talks,” Jones said Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer. “You say, ‘Well, why do you keep talking? Why don’t you do something?’ Again, as in anything, it takes both of you there at the same time.
“But I believe it’s got the proper amount of everything – emphasis, importance – for everybody involved here, and we’ll see how it goes.”
Lamb is holding out of training camp as he seeks a new deal after posting a 135-1,749-12 stat line and earning a first-team All-Pro nod in 2023. Jones is hopeful the 25-year-old will rejoin the club soon.
“We wouldn’t have offered him what we’ve offered him if we didn’t want him to be here,” Jones added.
The Cowboys reportedly made an offer that includes an average annual salary of just under $33 million. That would make the 2020 first-round pick the NFL’s second-highest paid wide receiver behind only Justin Jefferson ($35 million).
Jones went viral for saying he had no urgency to sign Lamb to a new deal on Aug. 8 but later clarified his comments and admitted the star wideout is “missed” at camp. Despite the stalled contract talks, Lamb and Dallas are expected to reach an agreement before the team’s Week 1 game Sept. 8, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The Cowboys also have yet to sign star quarterback Dak Prescott to an extension ahead of his contract year.
