A tree has fallen for the Cowboys. How will Justin Jefferson’s new contract impact CeeDee Lamb?
When talking a few weeks ago about new contracts for CeeDee Lamb, Dak Prescott and Micah Parsons and the seemingly lack of movement from Dallas Cowboys, owner Jerry Jones offered up one his patented quips.
“We’d like to see more leaves fall,” Jones said. “We’d like to see more action. It’s called option quarterback. I’ve spent my life [playing] option quarterback. I want to see some more cards played.”
If truth be told, Jones didn’t need to see any more leaves to fall to know what the market is for Prescott and Parsons.
Prescott’s and Parsons’ value at their respective positions had already been set.
And what has become clearer by the day is that Jones used the wrong foliage metaphor for a possible deal for Lamb, who has skipped the entire offseason program and is uncertain for this week’s mandatory minicamp.
Leaves have been falling at wide receiver position with deals for Philadelphia’s A.J. Brown ($32 million annually), Detroit’s Amon-Ra St. Brown ($30 million) and Miami’s Jaylen Waddle ($28 million) among others.
They had no bearing on Lamb because he was waiting on the oak tree to fall in the form of a record-setting contract for Justin Jefferson.
That happened on Monday when Jefferson and the Minnesota Vikings reached an agreement on four-year contract extension worth $140 million, including $110 million guaranteed, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
Per a source, the Cowboys have been prepared to pay Lamb at the seemingly current top rate of $30 million annually.
So the idea that the exploding market impacting Lamb’s price tag was shortsighted.
Yesterday price was never today’s price.
And tomorrow’s price is market busting.
Jefferson’s deal was always the true foliage barometer for Lamb.
Now, it’s fair to criticize the Cowboys about not getting a deal done last offseason, before the floor of wide receiver market jumped from $28 million to more than $30 million.
.Just know that current wait and impasse is not just about them sitting idly by twirling their fingers while watching leaves fall.
They were waiting on Jefferson’s oak tree.
The question now is how soon it impacts the Lamb negotiations.
If he’s doesn’t show up for minicamp, it’s unlikely he shows up training camp without a deal.
And even if does show up for minicamp, right guard Zack Martin gave up the blueprint for a contract holdout last season.
He showed up for minicamp, but did no work in attempt to force a new deal.
Martin then was a no show for training camp and missed three weeks before the Cowboys acquiesced to his demands.
Jones has seen what he needs to see with Lamb.
Time for him to play option quarterback.
