Something doesn’t add up about Cowboys reported CeeDee Lamb offer

Why can't the Dallas Cowboys just be normal? It's a question we've been asking for longer than most can remember. Jerry Jones is one of one in the NFL ownership sphere. He runs his entire front office with a very hands-on, outward-facing approach, which leads to storylines we just don't get with other teams.

A prime example is when Jones straight-up told reporters that he feels "no urgency" to extend CeeDee Lamb while his best wide receiver actively holds out of training camp. Even if Jones feels that way, truly, it's a terrible PR move. You don't want to alienate your All-Pro wideout. Lamb put together one of the best receiving campaigns in recent memory last season. The Cowboys should be going out of their way to be cordial.

Lamb took to X/Twitter to literally LOL at Jones' tactics. That did not spark a resolution, however, as Lamb continues to stay away from practice in search of a suitable long-term contract. So grave is the situation that trade rumors are starting to crop up. This could get ugly if the Cowboys don't make up some ground, and quick.

The latest update on the situation only muddies the water even further. According to Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News, Dallas' current offer to Lamb clocks in at just under $33 million annually. That would make Lamb the second-highest-paid receiver of all time, trailing only Minnesota Vikings superstar Justin Jefferson ($35 million annually).

Cowboys put massive offer on table for CeeDee Lamb as holdout intensifies

It is "unclear" what Lamb is seeking, per Watkins' report. Jefferson (4-140M) and San Francisco 49ers pass-rusher Nick Bosa (4-170M) currently occupy the largest non-QB contracts in league history. Lamb is not seeking to break the record, per Watkins, so the gap between Lamb's asking price and the Cowboys' offer can't be too steep.

So... what exactly are we doing here? Why hasn't Lamb put pen to paper?

Lamb can't genuinely expect much more than $33 million annually. If he's holding out for Justin Jefferson money, that is a bold ask. The Cowboys are sure to cave eventually, but at a certain point, the enormity of Lamb's demands might actually justify the Cowboys' seemingly excessive due diligence.

It's easy to find voices of dissent in the Cowboys fandom. Both Lamb and Dak Prescott are going to earn stupidly lucrative paydays in the near future. Dallas needs both to have any shot at the Super Bowl, but by that same token, it's hard to build a winner around multiple historic contracts. Re-upping both Lamb and Prescott would put Dallas in a bind financially. There is no ideal outcome here for the Cowboys. Only one that is better than the other.

In the end, it remains difficult to imagine Lamb in a different uniform. He is the crown jewel of this Cowboys era, a truly dynamic playmaking threat who can torch defenses at every level and out of various formations. Lamb reeled in 135 catches for 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, which is comical. Not many can even begin to approach the 25-year-old's production.

If Dallas and Lamb don't close this gap sooner than later, the palpable unease in the fanbase might boil over. Both sides need to figure this thing out, because clearly it's somewhat close. We are talking about $33 million per year.