As the CeeDee Lamb hold out lingers on, his Cowboys teammates are supportive and wanting
The CeeDee Lamb contract holdout of Dallas Cowboys training camp is entering its third week and there appears to no immediate end in sight.
In the last week, both sides have traded contract proposals.
But there has been no movement toward a resolution.
Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones said he is no longer giving updates on the contract talks.
He will let us know when something breaks.
So as the Cowboys remain in camp, set to the play their preseason opener at the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Lamb remains at home working out on his own.
Lamb is not present, but not forgotten. And there has been some communication with his teammates.
Lamb sent quarterback Dak Prescott a message on his birthday last week.
“That led to some talks,” Prescott said. “I know he shared with me he’s wanting to get back, ready to get back, hoping this thing gets done for him, I know I am as well. Hopefully we’ll get him back sooner than later. But I know he’s grinding and working and ready to get back to work.”
The players have made it clear that they support Lamb and understand he has to take care of his business.
Keeping that line of communication open is important because it can get lonely at home by yourself.
No one knows that better than running back Ezekiel Elliott, who held out for 40 days in 2019 and didn’t sign until the week of the season opener.
“Yeah, yeah, we definitely have (an) open line of communication. I think we do a good job here,” Elliott said. “We have a really close locker room and I think Ceedee understands that. The team understands that Ceedee needs to handles business and CeeDee understands that he has the support of the team behind him. Just stay in shape which it looks like he’s doing and being ready to go once the deal gets done.”
Elliott said it’s tough being away.
“It is not being around the guys. It’s not having a camaraderie was the toughest thing,” Elliott said. “You know you have to do know what’s best for you. We have a very close team. We know what type of teammate a CeeDee is. But you still kind of feel some sort of guilt, some sort of anxiety with not being there and not being with the team.”
Left guard Zack Martin, who held out for three weeks last season, echoed the same sentiment.
“You’re just at home man by yourself,” Martin said. “I was just, you’re siting there in your thoughts and you know what’s going on at training camp. You know how exciting it is those first few weeks when you’re out here getting around the guys and getting going. Just kind of a lonely feeling.”
“It’s a tough situation, right. I went though it last year,” Martin said. It’s stressful. You want to be out here with your guys but I know more than anyone what he’s going through and he’s just got to know that everyone in that locker room has got his back. We know hopefully he’ll be out here sooner rather than later
And there is there is the business side of the situation where you are taking a stance for yourself, your family and your career and have to endure criticism from from fans and the front office you once looked as supporters.
Elliott had to endure the “Zeke who?” comment from owner Jerry Jones after a big game from then-rookie Tony Pollard in the preseason.
“It’s really tough,’’ Elliott said. “You go through your first three or four years and you guys are on the same side. This is the first time that now you’re kinda going against each other, so I mean, you’ve got to have thick skin.”
“It sucks when the business part of the game comes up because, I don’t want to say it takes away, but you spend your whole career, your whole life, playing this game and you’ve never been through anything like this where you had to be away from the team to handle the business part.”
“There is a little extra stuff that comes with it, but at the end of the day we all have the same goal. It’s going to get done.’’
And Elliott has to tune out the extra stuff and focus on getting himself ready to play whenever the deal is completed.
“You definitely feel an obligation, but that’s just being a great teammate and putting your best foot forward,’’ Elliott said. Ceedee, he’s put in the work. He had a great first four years and every year he got better and better. So right now the most important thing is just to stay in shape and making sure you’re ready.The deal is going to get done. But once the deal gets done, be ready to hit the ground running.”
And when that happens, the Cowboys will have a plan for him.
Coach Mike McCarthy said Lamb has the benefit of knowing the offense from last season.
“This is a business matter and we all understand,” McCarthy said. “He’s put the time in now. We got to be smart when he gets here. We’re gonna ramp him up and get them ready to go. There’s a lot of investment in CeeDee. We have a good foundation to lean on.”
