Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has been an undisputed star for the team ever since Dallas drafted him with the No. 17 pick in 2020. Last season, Lamb recorded career highs in receptions (135), receiving yards (1749), and receiving touchdowns (12). That, combined with his stellar performances the three years prior, should warrant Lamb a hefty contract following his rookie deal.
But that hasn't been the case. With the regular season just two weeks away, Lamb and the Cowboys remain embroiled in a contentious contract dispute. On Saturday, news broke that Lamb rejected an offer from the Cowboys worth $33 million per year, which would make him the second highest-paid wide receiver after Justin Jefferson's $35 million annual haul.
Lamb has held out of training camp thus far as a negotiating tactic entering the final year of his rookie contract.
CeeDee posts cryptic image amid tense contract negotiations
Dallas Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb with an interesting update to his Instagram story. pic.twitter.com/CE1igq4Fza
— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) August 19, 2024
It seems that Lamb may be shifting strategies in his quest to secure an agreeable deal, as the 25-year-old wide receiver painted himself as a superhero — or perhaps a supervillain — in a cryptic social media post on Monday.
There are several ways to interpret Lamb's post, which showed a black-suited Spider-Man putting on his mask. From an optimistic standpoint, it could suggest that Lamb is close to signing a long-term contract extension with the Cowboys and could be suiting up soon. A more negative-minded fan may view it as Lamb willingly embracing the villain role as negotiations drag on through the final week of preseason.
Perhaps the post is simply a nod to the nickname Lamb earned in high school. Shaun McDowell, Lamb's high school football coach, said Lamb was "almost like Spider-Man with his hands."
Lamb's contract negotiations have caused quite a stir lately, particularly since Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told reporters that he lacked any urgency to get a deal done. ESPN's Jeff Darlington also reported on Monday that the team hasn't figured out many key details yet, including the annual salary, contract length or guaranteed money.
If that's the case, it's likely that Lamb may be willing to play the villain.