CeeDee Lamb won’t talk contract negotiations at youth football camps

Dallas Cowboys’ top wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is expected to miss the start of training camp on July 25 after skipping out on the team’s mandatory minicamps and OTAs, incurring more than $100,000 in fines. Lamb is currently in his fifth-year option, set to make $17.99 million and eligible for the franchise tag at the end of the season. However, he’d like to be paid as the top receiver that he is. Vikings’ Justin Jefferson and Eagles’ A.J. Brown have set the bar high, making between $32-35 million a year with their recent extensions.

Lamb, however, is not down to talk about this topic - at least not now.

Lamb stays silent on Cowboys’ contract talks

On Tuesday, Lamb welcomed around 600 kids to his youth football camp in Round Rock, Texas. Even before the camps started, he squashed the idea that he might open up about the contract talks, telling reporters they’ll get “zero answers”.

Blogging the Boys writer Brandon Loree had written that perhaps the camps could present the first time Lamb gives new information. But Lamb said, “I’m not speaking about any contract negotiations, if that’s your question... it’s about the kids.”

Lamb stayed true to his word, giving away nothing and even denying Cowboys.com writer Nick Harris information on “any topic” at all.

It’s not just Lamb who’s hoping for a contract extension with the Cowboys. During the offseason, Dallas has yet to offer an extension to quarterback Dak Prescott either, who’s also on the last year of his contract. Star edge rusher Micah Parsons’ contract will end soon as well, and he too has yet to be offered a deal.

It’s Lamb, though, who’s been protesting by missing practice. Lamb put up an NFL-high 135 receptions last season for 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns. He’s without a doubt one of the league’s best receivers, and it’s no surprise he’s holding out until a deal is made. Running back Ezekiel Elliott and guard Zack Martin are two examples of players who’ve held out on Cowboys training camp in order to get a deal done with the team and it worked out.

Prescott has said that he’s been throwing with Lamb during the offseason, and social media has shown us that Lamb is doing plenty of training all on his own, so there’s no need to worry about his physical shape ahead of the coming season. At Prescott’s youth camp, he told reporters that “CeeDee’s going to be ready”.

“A player like that, an athlete like that, he makes my job easier,” said Prescott. “Trust me, we’ll be just fine.” Whatever Lamb’s plan is, however, he’s not letting on to reporters at the youth camp, so we’ll just have to wait and see.