Jaylen Waddle contract means buzz grows on CeeDee Lamb deal

A quick glance at how the Jaylen Waddle contract only further fuels how much CeeDee Lamb is going to get paid.

Jan 14, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) before the 2024 NFC wild card game against the Green Bay Packers at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The wide receiver market in the NFL continues to explode. The latest example came Thursday when news broke of Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle agreeing to a three-year extension worth $84.75 million, including $76 million guaranteed. Does Waddle’s deal mean Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is set to shatter the market?

Waddle has been a very productive receiver since entering the league in 2021. Waddle has caught 251 passes in three seasons, including 104 as a rookie. Waddle has surpassed 1,000 yards in all three seasons.

Lamb, on the other hand, is coming off arguably the greatest season for a receiver in Cowboys franchise history. Lamb caught 135 passes for 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns. Lamb broke single-season records for receptions and yards previously held by Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin (111 catches for 1,603 yards).

In reality, the top contract to look at when talking about Lamb now is the one signed by Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown: a three-year extension worth $96 million with $84 million guaranteed. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that Lamb beats Brown’s $32 million per year average. The speculation is already beginning that Lamb could even hit $35 million per year.

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The Cowboys have found themselves in a pickle. Lamb, quarterback Dak Prescott and edge-rusher Micah Parsons are have to get paid very soon. How Dallas navigates this maze will be very interesting to watch unfold. Just like with Prescott, did the Cowboys wait too long on Lamb? One can argue the Cowboys could have locked in Lamb for somewhere around $28-30 million per year last season. Between the booming market and Lamb’s big season, the price skyrocketed.

Spotrac currently projects Lamb’s market value at $33.7 million per season thanks to numbers comparable to, or even higher than, receivers such as Amon-Ra St. Brown of the Lions ($30,002,500 average), Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill ($30 million) and the aforementioned A.J. Brown ($32 million).