CeeDee vs. Cowboys: Is Lamb Planning Holdout Over Dallas Contract A 'Best Thing'?

Mike Fisher | Apr 8, 2024

FRISCO - A cynic might suggest that it's the best thing that could happen regarding CeeDee Lamb and the Dallas Cowboys.

But wait. The question: How is the threat of a contract holdout a "best thing''?

The answer: Because it might be the only way to motivate the sluggish Dallas front office to actual do something.

The Cowboys will start their spring workout program April 15. Dallas is set to start its spring workouts at The Star on April 15, and the Dallas News is creating some buzz by writing, "Barring a contract extension ... Lamb won’t take the field.''

The News doesn't cite a source here. Maybe it's simply enough to see such a move as logical. For one thing, the workouts are "voluntary'' ... though the Cowboys have long taken pride in their high attendance rate in offseason sessions. For another, while Lamb is presently under contract at $17.99 million for 2024, he has every reason to see himself as a $30 million APY talent - and therefore has no need to risk injury before he gets that level of deal.

And finally: The Cowboys rarely act preemptively in these matters, often choosing to make the move only when a) a deadline exists or b) an ultimatum is issued.

Along the way here, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has actually mentioned the value of Lamb vs. signing "five or six'' other players - an odd hint of a trade thought. But what's really about to unfold?

Will Lamb actually sit out anything that really matters, like 2024 regular-season games? Surely not. At the same time, will Dallas continue to sit on its hands here, especially given that a Lamb extension, pricy as it will be, will actually create more cap room (maybe around $10 million) for the team? Surely not.