Cowboys New Contract for CeeDee Lamb: 'Hope' for 'Early This Offseason'?

Will Dallas really do a new deal soon with CeeDee Lamb? That is something short of a guarantee, the Cowboys' history suggesting observers wait for proof rather than promises.

FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys have a philosophy, rooted in owner Jerry Jones' 33-year history in charge, that in three words goes exactly like this:

"Deadlines Make Deals.''

There is no particular deadline pressure on the Cowboys to get busy on the contract for Pro Bowl receiver CeeDee Lamb. And yet - encouragingly - there is a whisper from the NFL Scouting Combine that Dallas is considering doing so.

The way the Dallas News is phrasing it: "The team has Lamb, hoping to sign him to a long-term extension as early as this offseason. In the meantime, one person close to Lamb described as “automatic” the Cowboys’ decision on whether to place the fifth-year option on him by May 1.''

That second item - the fifth-year option - does not require a "source''; it's a no-brainer, for while it bumps Lamb's salary in 2024 to almost $18 million, it's still a bargain compared to what the Pro Bowler will get if Dallas ever allows him to shop himself on the open market.

But no, it's the other assertion by the Dallas News (and/or by the Cowboys) regarding the Lamb plan that is notable ... and maybe worthy of skepticism.

The Cowboys do not have a history of proactivity when it comes to these matters. Of course, it takes two to tango, but maybe most infamous in this regard is the case of Dak Prescott. The Cowboys did the negotiation dance with the QB for two years, failing to secure him early in the process at a price that would've been about $30 million ...

And by the time the two parties finally agreed on a deal? Well, to this day, Dak's APY is $40 million.

Oh, and it's about to go up again, begging the Cowboys to be proactive again.

Will Dallas do so with Prescott? That's a virtual guarantee, because an extension done right there will provide the Cowboys with $22 million in 2023 cap room. That deal is already in the planning.

Will Dallas do so with Lamb? That is something short of a guarantee, the Cowboys' history suggesting observers wait for proof rather than promises.

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