DALLAS Cowboys star CeeDee Lamb has had his say on Jerry Jones’ latest comments about his contract.
Lamb, 25, is holding out of training camp as he seeks an extension to his deal, which runs out in 2025.
He is due to be paid $17.99 million this season but wants a contract that reflects his status as one of the best receivers in the NFL.
Cowboys owner Jones was asked about the franchise’s failure to extend its prized asset.
“Well, I don’t know about that, but I know that we’re getting great work, making real progress and I don’t think losing a step at where we’re at now,” said Jones.
“I don’t have a sense of urgency about getting it done.
“Put any reason you want. I was at Nobu two days ago. Give that as the reason.
“Whatever you want to put out there.”
Lamb reposted the urgency quote on X and wrote, “Lol.”
Minnesota Vikings wideout Justin Jefferson agreed to a four-year, $140 million deal that included $110 million guaranteed in June.
Lamb skipped the Cowboys’ mandatory minicamp in June, leading to around $100,000 in fines.
He is also being docked $40,000 for every day of training camp he misses, although the team can rescind the penalties.
“Well, I don’t expect not to have CeeDee Lamb, but this camp has given opportunities for the people who need it most,” Jones added.
“And that’s the ones that aren’t proven like CeeDee. So it’s a great plan to see your receiving corps and develop a receiving corps from the rookies.”
Lamb had 135 catches for 1,749 receiving yards in a record-breaking 2023 season.
He is said to have removed the words America’s Team, a well-known nickname for the Cowboys, from his X bio following Jones’ remark.
NFL important dates
August 1 – Hall of Fame Game – Houston Texans vs Chicago Bears
August 8 – Pre-season begins
August 27 – Deadline for 53-man rosters
September 1 – Final day of pre-season
September 5 – Season opener – Baltimore Ravens vs Kansas City Chiefs
November 5 – Trade deadline
January 5 – Week 18 of regular-season
January 11 – Playoffs begin
February 9 – Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, Louisiana
Linebacker Micah Parsons is on the lookout for a new contract, too, having entered the fourth year of his rookie deal.
Quarterback Dak Prescott will hit free agency next year if he doesn’t ink an extension in the coming months.
But Jones has been adamant that the Cowboys won’t rush into things during talks with their stars while insisting on being “all in” on the 2024 NFL season.
He even compared himself to Kansas City Chiefs signal-caller Patrick Mahomes while explaining his strategy last month.
“In my life, I have played option quarterback so many times and wait until the last leaf on the tree,” Jones said.
“If you want to picture a pure option quarterback going out to the sidelines, I have run that ball and kept it and not handed off to the [running] back, not pitched it back, not thrown it, and I have run that thing all the way out to the sidelines before I made the decision.
“Because I couldn’t get whatever it took, it wasn’t right for me to make the decision.
“And so what our fans, what you’re seeing, what we deal with is we’re buying time.”