CeeDee Lamb is one of four Dallas Cowboys starters who have a pressing need for a contract extension. Like quarterback Dak Prescott, he is in the final year of his current contract. The First-Team All-Pro wide receiver will play the 2024 season under the fifth-year option in his rookie-scale deal, earning him a fully guaranteed $17.9 million.
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Lamb and Prescott could be free agents if they don’t have a new deal. Meanwhile, Zack Martin and Micah Parsons are under contract until 2025 but have proven worthy of an early extension. But out of these players that Dallas must retain, Malik Hooker believes the team must prioritize giving Lamb the bag.
With their running back room undergoing some changes, the Cowboys will depend more on their passing attack. In that regard, the Cowboys safety shared on ‘All Facts No Brakes with Keyshawn Johnson’ that CeeDee Lamb is integral in making the offense work.
“I think CeeDee should be paid first for the simple fact that what he does for us, how valuable he is for us, the leader he is for us as a team. CeeDee is one of those guys like if he’s playing that game and you know he’s lining up, you know it’s going to be a long game for his guard regardless of what we got going on.”
As Lamb enters his prime years, the Cowboys must act fast and secure him with a market-consistent contract.
It’s not that Hooker doesn’t support the other three guys in getting a nice payday. But in Parsons’ case, he believes there’s still another level to the edge rusher’s game. While he’s already a big-time player, Hooker believes the three-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker can be an all-time great.
Why Hooker Believes Zack Martin Needs to be Paid After Lamb
Typically, NFL teams prioritize contract negotiations with quarterbacks because their performance affects all facets of the game. In a pass-happy league, quality QBs are more critical than ever, and teams are willing to pay top dollar for exceptional quarterbacks. Hence, the highest annual value for quarterback contracts surged this offseason.
Hooker sees a different situation in Dallas. The veteran defensive back believes the Cowboys must prioritize giving Martin his new contract over Prescott. When the lineman from Notre Dame is around, the offensive unit’s confidence elevates. That influence Martin has should keep the Cowboys competitive. Likewise, the protection around Prescott is elite when Martin is available.
However, Hooker believes that, like CeeDee Lamb, Prescott deserves a contract extension. The safety commended the 2023 Second-Team All-Pro member for his football smarts that stem from being a student of the game.
“A lot of the stuff Dak does is because of how he studies. Yeah, he’s gifted and stuff but Dak’s a very smart player. The way he goes about his business, Dak doesn’t bother nobody. And just the stuff that he has been through as a leader and still being able to come out there and lead these guys as you’re going through these trials and tribulations, that’s a hard thing to do.”
What’s certain is that Lamb, Prescott, Martin, and Parsons will all play for the Cowboys this season. But if the first two players don’t have new deals in place, the Cowboys will regress further from their Super Bowl aspirations.
