Cowboys owner Jerry Jones clarifies statement on CeeDee Lamb urgency: “You’re missed”
Before Sunday’s preseason opener against the Los Angeles Rams, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones tried to clean up a mess he started with holdout receiver CeeDee Lamb.
Jones caused a mini firestorm last Thursday when he told reporters that he had no urgency to get Lamb signed in training camp heading into the start of the preseason.
Lamb took exception to Jones’ comments and removed anything associated with the Cowboys from his social media accounts.
Jones addressed the situation on the team’s Countdown To Kickoff Show Sunday.
“I think I got in trouble about it the other day when I said, ‘Look, we’re not urgent about CeeDee’,” Jones said. “Well, no one appreciates CeeDee being on the field any more than I do.”
“I understand completely the angst that’s happening (about) whether you’re missed or not. Well, CeeDee: You’re missed.”
Jones’ real point in talking about the lack of urgency of Lamb in camp for the preseason was that he was not going to play in any of the exhibition games. The Cowboys know what Lamb can and weren’t going to expose him injury.
“But let me say this, he wouldn’t be taking a snap out here today if he’d been here,” Jones said. “You’ve got to use your head when you expose key players. . . . We know exactly what CeeDee can do. He worked out with Dak. And so we wouldn’t have him out here. It has really not anything to do with his contract. Dak won’t be out here this afternoon.”
Lamb is the final year of the rookie deal and slated to make $17.9 million on his fifth-year option.
He is seeking a deal similar to the one given to Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson, who is making $35 million annually.
Lamb boycotted the entire offseason program, OTAs and minicamp and missed the first three weeks of training camp as leverage in getting the deal he wants.
Lamb was first-time All-Pro in 2023 when he led the NFL in catches and set a new Cowboys record for receiving yards.
