Dallas Cowboys pick up 5th year option on CeeDee Lamb, guaranteeing him $18M in 2024
The Dallas Cowboys did the inevitable Thursday.
They notified receiver CeeDee Lamb and his representatives that they were picking up his fifth-year option, guaranteeing him at least $18 million in 2024.
With the former first-round pick and two-time Pro Bowler heading into the final year of his rookie deal, short of signing him to a long-term extension, it was a move that was expected.
The Cowboys had until May 1 to exercise Lamb’s fifth-year option.
And it was thought they would officially pull the trigger after the 2023 NFL Draft, which begins April 27 and runs through April 29.
The Cowboys decided not to wait.
According to a source, the two sides did discuss a long-term deal this offseason and will continue to negotiate.
Lamb, who led the Cowboys in targets, receptions, receiving yards, and touchdown catches in 2022, will make $2.5 million in 2023.
What is certain is that the Cowboys would like to get a deal done with Lamb or cornerback Trevon Diggs before the start of the 2023 season.
Diggs is also heading into the final year of his contract.
Because Diggs was a second round pick, the Cowboys don’t have the luxury of the fifth-year option to use on him.
But the Cowboys have made it clear that both Lamb and Diggs are in their long-term plans.
Vice President Stephen Jones said they team will focus on deals for both after the draft.
“As we move forward that’ll become a bigger priority here as we move past the draft,” Jones said on 105.3 the Fan on Tuesday. “We’ve historically signed a lot of guys during that training camp period to extensions. But guys like CeeDee Lamb and Diggs are certainly on our radar in terms of guys that we’d love to have around here for another five, six years, whatever that turns out to be.”
This story was originally published April 20, 2023 at 6:19 PM.
