How Valuable Is CeeDee Lamb To The Cowboys? More Than Some Starting QBs Around NFL
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CeeDee Lamb wanted to be the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL. Well, he's not going to be that. But neither should he be disappointed.
Lamb and the Dallas Cowboys just agreed to a four-year contract worth $136 million, an NFL source confirmed.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 10: CeeDee Lamb attends Michael Rubin's Fanatics Super Bowl party at the Marquee Nightclub at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on February 10, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Lamb Second-Highest Paid WR
The deal, which includes $100 million in total guaranteed money and $38 million in a signing bonus, makes Lamb the second-highest paid receiver in the NFL on an annual average basis.
That list of very good and very rich NFL receivers on an annual average basis:
Justin Jefferson: $35 million per year.
Lamb: $34 million per year.
A.J. Brown: $32 million per year.
Amon-Ra St. Brown: $30.02 million per year.
Tyreek Hill: $30 million per year.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 04: CeeDee Lamb #88 of the Dallas Cowboys and NFC catches a pass for a touchdown during the first quarter of the 2024 NFL Pro Bowl Games at Camping World Stadium on February 04, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Lamb Gets More Than Some QBs
That's not all. Lamb also becomes the second highest paid non-quarterback in the NFL and actually is making more than some starting quarterbacks on an annual average basis, including Baker Mayfield, Geno Smith, Gardner Minshew and Sam Darnold.
And that's just veteran quarterbacks, by the way.
Lamb is obviously making more than the rookie starters such as Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels on an annual average basis.
And here's the upset of the day: Because Texas has no state income tax (God bless Texas), Lamb will be neck-and-neck with Aaron Rodgers on what his checks eventually say this season because New Jersey (boo) has an onerous 10.75 percent state income tax for people making over $1 million.
So Lamb will be at $34 million before federal taxes and Rodgers will be at $34.02 million before federal taxes.
So, what to think of all this?
Well, it means some people owe Jerry Jones an apology.
DALLAS, TX - JANUARY 14: CeeDee Lamb #88 of the Dallas Cowboys looks on before kickoff against the Green Bay Packers during the NFC Wild Card playoff game at AT&T Stadium on January 14, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
Cowboys Fans Can Relax
Cowboys nation was basically losing its ever-lovin' mind the past couple of months as the Lamb contract situation seemed to drag. Lamb missed every single team activity since last season.
He didn't take part in the offseason conditioning program, OTAs, mandatory minicamp, training camp or any preseason game.
Yes, some of that newfound generational wealth Lamb just earned is going to be spent on paying fines from missing training camp.
But the point is he's signed now.
The Cowboys have two weeks before they open their season against the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 8.
That should give Lamb time to ramp up some work in camp, get some game-week practice time, and play in that opener.
So where are the people who said Jones was being unreasonable? Dragging his feet? Being cheap?
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Jerry Jones Beat Regular Season Deadline
All that criticism, echoed for weeks in the Metroplex, kind of fades into nothingness with this signing.
Or does it?
The new criticism of Jones will likely shift to his inability to sign quarterback Dak Prescott to a contract extension. Prescott is in the final year of his contract.
Here's a guess:
Prescott's deal will get done, too. And the numbers should be fair for everyone.
Depending on how the Lamb deal is written, the Cowboys may now find themselves with more salary cap room to operate and get Prescott signed. Frankly, that makes sense because Prescott is set to cost the team $55 million in salary cap space this year, barring a new deal.
So Jones isn't out of the criticism woods yet.
But getting CeeDee Lamb under contract before the regular-season begins surely helps.