The leaves have finally fallen, and the Cowboy’s strategy of waiting may come at a cost. The Vikings have reset the market for elite wideouts by giving Jefferson a mammoth $140 million contract. As a result, they will likely have to spend big to keep CeeDee Lamb. However, recent reports suggest that it was Lamb who delayed the extension and not the other way around.
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The Cowboys may have dropped the ball on Dak Prescott’s contract but they cannot be blamed for doing so in their star wideout’s case. Adam Schefter joined the Pat McAfee Show where he stated that Jerry Jones and the front office were more than willing to deal with CeeDee and his agent but it was Lamb who slowed the negotiations.
It has also been suggested that CeeDee was delaying since he was waiting for the Vikings to pay Justin Jefferson, as NFL Insider said,
“Jerry Jones made a reference earlier this off-season that the fact the Cowboys wanted to get a deal done with CeeDee Lamb but Lamb was in no rush to get the deal done. The reason CeeDee wasn’t in any rush was because of the deal today.”
Schefter asserted that while the Dallas receiver is not as good as Jefferson, his numbers are at par with the Vikings star. He believes that Lamb is in no position to get the same contract as Justin, but now has leverage and an estimate to get a comparable deal, something which shows how much the Cowboys value him.
He will get less than Jefferson but not by much. However, it’s up to the franchise and the player to decide and agree on a number. Adam stated,
“If you look at their numbers side by side, Lamb played more games but the numbers are comparable. Do I think Lamb is as good as Jefferson? No. Do I think he’s gonna get that type of deal? No. But how far south of Jefferson is CeeDee Lamb gonna get? That’s why he was waiting for this deal to come in.”
“CeeDee Lamb was waiting for this Justin Jefferson deal to get done..
The Dallas Cowboys and CeeDee Lamb now need to figure things out” ~ @AdamSchefter #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/ZAvB2WOh1T
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 3, 2024
Any deal made now should be north of $30 million. However, given the fact that AJ Brown got $32 million and Lamb outperformed him by a mile, he would demand somewhere between $32 million and $35 million. Whether the Cowboys are able and willing to pay is a different question, given they also have to pay Dak and Parsons.
Justin’s deal is an invitation for other top receivers to test their teams to see how much they value them.
Jefferson’s Deal Has Opened the Flood Gates
The Vikings finally made the best receiver in the league, Justin Jefferson, the highest-paid too by giving him a 4-year $140 million contract. The new deal has an $88.7 million signing bonus and $110 million in guaranteed money. This will become the benchmark for any new contract that any franchise with an elite wideout negotiates.
However, JJ wasn’t the first WR to get paid this off-season. A few other big contacts can be doled out before the season starts. CeeDee Lamb, Ja’Maar Chase, Brandon Aiyuk, and Tee Higgins are all expected to get paid.
None of these receivers are on the same level as Jefferson. However, that won’t stop them from getting similar deals or even bigger ones if their team and market decide they are worth the investment.
As per Clutch Points, Lamb comes into the contract year on the back of 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns. They speculate that the Cowboys will give him a 4-year $150 million deal, which is bigger than Justin.
Chase will play the season-on-the-year option. Though he has been eyeing a deal now, waiting a year might be better for him. A massive 5-year $180 million contract in the 2025 off-season is on the cards for him. His partner in crime, Tee Higgins is also up for a contract. He wants to stay in Cincinnati and they want to keep him.
Currently, on a tag worth $22 million, there is speculation that Higgins will play this year on tag before the Bengals trade to the Patriots who might be willing to offer him a four-year, $95 million contract next off-season.
On the other hand, Brandon Aiyuk posted his best stats and is on an upward trajectory. But the 49ers might not be willing to pay him the big money, given their cap situation. He will play this year on his fifth-year option, before the Niner tag and trade him for draft capital to the Steelers.
Nevertheless, all eyes are now on the Cowboys and Lamb, and if history is any indication, Jerry Jones might end up overpaying him as he did with Dak a few years ago.
