Getty CeeDee Lamb
CeeDee Lamb has secured the bag.
The first-round rookie wide receiver agreed to terms with the Dallas Cowboys on his rookie contract, the team announced Thursday.
Lamb, drafted No. 17 overall, landed a fully-guaranteed four-year, $14.01 million deal, with a fifth-year team option, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He gets a $7.749 million signing bonus and will count $2.547 million against Dallas’ 2020 salary cap, per Spotrac.com.
A consensus All-American in 2019, Lamb finished his three-year career at Oklahoma with 173 receptions for 3,292 yards and 32 touchdowns. Arguably the top WR in a historically deep class, he wins with gliding 4.5 speed and separation ability that’s been likened to Chad Johnson, DeAndre Hopkins, and even Jerry Rice.
Lamb was the highest-rated player available on the Cowboys’ draft board, the club eschewing pass-rushers (K’Lavon Chaisson), linebackers (Kenneth Murray), and cornerbacks (Damon Arnette). Owner/general manager Jerry Jones, while on the clock, turned down at least three trade-down offers to nab Lamb.
The 21-year-old who averaged 19.0 yards per catch crystallizes an insanely talented supporting cast for quarterback Dak Prescott, who also has Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, Ezekiel Elliott and Blake Jarwin at his disposal.
Lamb should be put to use in a variety of ways, lining up across the formation. The Athletic’s Jon Machota recently reported that Dallas offensive coordinator Kellen Moore plans to deploy him “as an outside receiver, inside receiver and ball-carrier on jet sweeps.”
Lamb will wear No. 88 with the Cowboys to follow in the footsteps of franchise legends Michael Irvin, Drew Pearson, and Dez Bryant. The goal? Trace a similar route as the former — straight into Canton.
“Be a Hall of Famer,” Lamb told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram last month when asked for his NFL career goals. “Have as much of an impact or more that Michael had on the game and on America’s Team. I want to be on a team that makes unbelievable memories together. I feel like that is what we are going to do here.”
“I can’t wait.”
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Cowboys Signed Other Two Rookies, Including QB
With training camp underway — rookies reported Tuesday to begin COVID-19 testing — the team got a jump on its 2020 class. Earlier this week, the Cowboys agreed to terms with fourth-round cornerback Reggie Robinson, fifth-round defensive end Bradlee Anae, and seventh-round QB Ben DiNucci.
All rookies receive fully-guaranteed four-year pacts (first-rounders get a fifth-year club option) and are subject to the league’s slotted pay system. Spotrac.com estimates Anae, the No. 179 overall choice, will earn $3.53 million and take home $237,772 in the form of a signing bonus. He’s projected to count $669,443 against the cap.
DiNucci (No. 231) will make $3.39 million over the life of his pact, according to Spotrac. His signing bonus and cap charges are $95,148 and $633,787, respectively.
Robinson (No. 123) raked in $4.024 million with a $729,272 signing bonus and $792,318 cap hit.
The Cowboys took seven players in this year’s draft. Still unsigned are second-round cornerback Trevon Diggs, third-round defensive lineman Neville Gallimore, and fourth-round center Tyler Biadasz.
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