The Cowboys were granted a two-game roster exemption for Lamb on Tuesday and have placed him on the commissioner's exempt list, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. Lamb returned to practice Tuesday, one day after inking a lucrative four-year, $136 million contract extension with the Cowboys, though Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News reports the star wideout is currently limited to individual drills as he begins ramping up his activity level. Dallas' placement of Lamb on the exempt list, where he doesn't have to count against the 53-man roster, is simply a way for the team to better navigate Tuesday's cut-down deadline and not any indication that the No. 1 receiver is in danger of missing any action. Lamb can be activated at any time, and he still has just under two weeks left to get back into game shape prior to Week 1's road matchup against the Browns on Sunday, Sept. 8.
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The Cowboys were granted a two-game roster exemption for Lamb on Tuesday and have placed him on the commissioner's exempt list, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. Lamb returned to practice Tuesday, one day after inking a lucrative four-year, $136 million contract extension with the Cowboys, though Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News reports the star wideout is currently limited to individual drills as he begins ramping up his activity level. Dallas' placement of Lamb on the exempt list, where he doesn't have to count against the 53-man roster, is simply a way for the team to better navigate Tuesday's cut-down deadline and not any indication that the No. 1 receiver is in danger of missing any action. Lamb can be activated at any time, and he still has just under two weeks left to get back into game shape prior to Week 1's road matchup against the Browns on Sunday, Sept. 8.
Lamb (contract dispute) and the Cowboys agreed to terms Monday on a four-year, $136 million contract extension, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Lamb's contract dispute saw him miss the entirety of training camp and the preseason, but the star wide receiver now gets his new deal with roughly two weeks remaining to ramp up for Dallas' matchup against the Browns in Week 1. In addition to a $38 million signing bonus, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports that Lamb's new contract includes $100 million guaranteed. The deal makes Lamb the second-highest paid non-quarterback in NFL history and keeps him linked to QB Dak Prescott and the Cowboys for the foreseeable future. Fresh off a 2023 campaign in which he tallied 135 catches for 1,749 yards and 12 scores on 181 targets across 17 regular-season games, Lamb again is in prime position to produce as one of the top wide receivers in the league as the unquestioned No. 1 option in Dallas' uptempo, pass-heavy offense.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Thursday that he doesn't have urgency to get Lamb's contract done, NFL.com's Grant Gordon reports. QB Dak Prescott disagreed, telling reporters afterward, "I got urgency for it to happen." Lamb had an ever shorter response, simply posting 'lol' on his X account. Lamb remains on the reserve/did not report list, holding out for a new contract while scheduled to make $17.99 million in 2024 under the fifth-year option on his rookie deal. Recent contracts for other WRs suggest the Cowboys will need to offer more than $30 million per year to get Lamb to sign; the big question is whether he'll start practicing soon -- or at least ahead of Week 1 -- if there's no agreement.
The Cowboys placed Lamb (holdout) on the reserve/did not report list Tuesday, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports. The transaction is merely procedural to open up a spot on the 90-man roster as Lamb continues to hold out of training camp while seeking a contract extension. Currently, he's in line to earn $17.99 million in 2024 on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract, but on the heels of career bests across the board last season -- a 135-1,749-12 line on 181 targets in 17 regular-season games -- he's looking to strike it big like fellow premier wide receiver Justin Jefferson did this offseason. With Lamb away from Oxnard, Calif., the Cowboys' top options at the position are Brandin Cooks, Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Brooks and KaVontae Turpin.
Lamb is not expected to report to training camp Wednesday with his Cowboys teamates, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Lamb and Dallas were unable to reach a contract extension during the offseason. The star pass catcher is entering the last year of a deal scheduled to earn him $17.99 million. This news does not come out of nowhere, as he also did not show up for June minicamp. While he is sidelined, Brandin Cooks will presumably handle No. 1 receiving duties, while Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Brooks and KaVontae Turpin also figure to see more reps to build a rapport with Dak Prescott.
Lamb isn't likely to report for the start of training camp July 24 if he doesn't have a new contract by then, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. Lamb didn't show up for June minicamp, which means he can be fined a little more than $100,000. He's scheduled to make $17.99 million under a fifth-year option in 2024, whereas a long-term contract will cost the Cowboys nearly twice that much per season. It might nonetheless lower Lamb's cap hit for 2024, depending on how the deal is structured, and Machota suggests the most likely outcome is a long-term contract before Dallas players report to camp July 24. If not, Lamb may continue his holdout and accrue further fines while his agent negotiates for a deal.
Lamb is holding out from June minicamp in pursuit of a new contract, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reports. Lamb didn't attend voluntary OTAs and now is missing the first mandatory activities of the offseason. David Helman of FOX Sports reports that the Cowboys can fine Lamb around $100,000 in the likely event he misses all three days of June minicamp, though the wideout presumably won't care much if it helps him secure a new contract. He's likely looking for a deal that's similar or slightly south of the four-year, $140 million extension that Vikings WR Justin Jefferson is signing this week. If nothing gets done before training camp, Lamb may well continue his holdout into August.
Lamb is not expected to attend the start of Dallas' offseason workouts as he continues negotiations with the team on a contract extension, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Lamb is currently entering the final season of his rookie contract, which would see him earn roughly $18 million on the fifth-year option, but he's been clear about his desire to come to terms on a long-term deal to keep him with the Cowboys. Patrik Walker of the team's official site reports that Lamb recently responded to rumors of a potential holdout by saying he'll "be in Dallas" this season, though mandatory workouts won't begin until minicamp in early June. DeVonta Smith, a 2021 first-round pick, is fresh off signing a three-year, $75 million extension including $51 million guaranteed with the Eagles, but Lamb's production could well warrant a top-of-the-market deal closer to $30 million per year.
Lamb may be absent from the start of Cowboys offseason workouts April 15 as he seeks a new contract, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reports. Lamb is currently scheduled to play out the 2024 season on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, which would carry a $17.99 million salary. Skipping offseason workouts is one of Lamb's only bargaining chips if he seeks a contract extension immediately, other than attempting a more severe holdout. Attendance will be voluntary until Dallas' minicamp early June, and it remains to be seen whether Lamb would actually consider a holdout at that point. The 25-year-old solidified himself as one of the NFL's top wideouts with a 135-1,749-12 receiving line through 17 regular-season games in 2023, and a new contract could place him in the range of a $30 million per year salary, similar to Tyreek Hill's deal atop the WR market. That said, the Cowboys also have to navigate the contract situations of stars Dak Prescott and Micah Parsons.