CeeDee Lamb Escalates Contract Negotiations By Not Attending Cowboys' Voluntary Workouts

The All-Pro wideout is entering the final year of his rookie contract.

CeeDee Lamb / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

CeeDee Lamb was one of the NFL's top receivers in 2023. He earned a first-team All-Pro nomination by catching a league-leading 135 passes for 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns. His season ended in disappointing fashion as the Dallas Cowboys were blown out by the Green Bay Packers in the wild card round but the 25-year-old wideout has a very bright future.

Lamb is also up for a contract extension and has yet to receive one. He's entering the final year of his rookie deal and is owed just north of $17 million. This is the time is when players of his caliber receive contract extensions, and usually quite rich extensions at that. Yet there has been little movement on the front since the Cowboys' season ended.

Now the star receiver is taking things to the next level. Lamb is not attending the first day of Dallas' voluntary workouts on Monday and reports made it very clear he is doing so because he wants a new deal. ESPN's Adam Schefter spelled it out plainly on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb isn’t expected to attend the start of Dallas’ voluntary off-season program Monday while he awaits a new contract to replace the one scheduled to pay him a fully-guaranteed $17.199 million for his upcoming fifth-year option season. pic.twitter.com/68lOV8I5sv

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 15, 2024

Cowboys insider Clarence Hill Jr. of the Star-Telegram reported the same with a quote from a source.

WR CeeDee Lamb is not participating in the Cowboys offseason program.
Per a source with knowledge of the negotiations or lack there of on a contract extension, “why would he”

— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) April 15, 2024

Lamb's absence is not necessarily a surprise. The workouts are (obviously) optional and represent the first opportunity an unhappy player has to express their displeasure with their team. Regardless of how negotiations are going, opting out of the offseason program is a common first step for players up for a big deal like Lamb. SI's own Albert Breer noted earlier today that many of Lamb's draft mates may not be seen at their respective offseason programs, either. It is not necessarily a sign things are going poorly behind the scenes.

Conversely, it is noteworthy for Lamb's camp to so publicly blast that this is all part of negotiations. One can glean a lot from the tone of inside reports and nothing about the above tweets suggests Lamb is happy about what's happening.

This is all part of the game, though. Lamb isn't missing anything by not going to these workouts. The Cowboys are receiving his message loud and clear that he wants a new deal. Both sides will wait as long as needed to get a deal they'll be happy with. There is almost no universe in which Lamb does not get some kind of extension before the season begins.

But things could get contentious before an agreement is reached. This is the first step on that path. Something to watch as the offseason unfolds.