Getty CeeDee Lamb
CeeDee Lamb is expected to take home $3.5 million for the 2020 campaign when he finalizes his first NFL contract. And the Dallas Cowboys will have him earn every penny.
The Athletic’s Jon Machota reports Dallas offensive coordinator Kellen Moore plans to deploy Lamb “as an outside receiver, inside receiver and ball-carrier on jet sweeps.”
Essentially, in the short-term, the No. 17 overall pick replaces 2019 WRs Randall Cobb and Tavon Austin, both of whom were offseason defections. Cobb, who signed with the Texans, was the primary slot man while Austin, a free agent, functioned as the resident jitterbug.
Moore indeed drew up exotic schemes to get the ball in his playmakers’ hands. While Cobb took three carries for just 11 yards, on top of his 83-828-3 receiving line, Austin — as was his specialty with the Rams — did some damage with 47 rushing yards and a touchdown on six attempts.
Tavon Austin’s 20-yard rushing TD is Cowboys’ first first-half TD in four games. First opening-drive TD all season
Cowboys 7, Eagles 0
(📹: @dallascowboys)
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Lamb, the No. 17 overall pick, was a traditional wideout at Oklahoma. He finished with 173 receptions for 3,292 yards and 32 scores versus only nine rushing attempts for 20 yards and one TD — all of which came last season in drawing Consensus All-American honors.
His collegiate career also included a touchdown pass to then-starting quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Lamb isn’t an Austin prototype but certainly able-bodied to wear several hats as a rookie, doing damage across the formation. In an offense featuring Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and Ezekiel Elliott, and captained by Dak Prescott, the possibilities are mouthwatering.
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Lamb Unveils Hype Photo at Cowboys Facility [LOOK]
After teasing fans in June by running routes in a Cowboys helmet, Lamb posted to Instagram last week a photo of himself, in a team jersey, apparently overlooking The Star’s practice field. He captioned the photo: “You ready?”
Lamb on Monday tweeted a photo of himself in a suit, legs kicked up in an office, looking over papers. This led to speculation that he was about to ink his rookie deal, but the Fort Worth Star-Telegram later reported Lamb is shooting a commercial.
The Cowboys, however, did get two members of the 2020 class under contract: fifth-round defensive end Bradley Anae and seventh-round QB Ben DiNucci. Rookies are slated to report to training camp on Tuesday.
OU HC Gushes over Lamb
On one hand, revered Oklahoma head coach (and ex-candidate for the Cowboys‘ vacancy) Lincoln Riley understandably is not happy when his powerhouse Sooners program, which more resembles a football factory, loses an elite talent to the NFL ranks, as is the case on an annual basis.
On the other, he can’t help but marvel at what Lamb did in Norman across three short seasons, and what he’ll do in a big-league stadium near you for the next decade.
“CeeDee was dominant all year,” Riley said last month on The Herd, via 247Sports. “I don’t think there was a corner all year that did much against him. If there were any limitations, it was where the ball fell that night. The guy is an explosive playmaker, he can be a dynamic route runner — how good he is after the catch. He had some success early in his career but he continued to let us coach him very hard. He’s a dynamic player. He’s one of those guys where any scheme you draw up, you don’t have to take him off the field. That versatility, that explosion, you just don’t find that combination very often.”
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Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL