The Cowboys held a team meeting at 8 a.m. Monday.
As expected, CeeDee Lamb was not there, two people familiar with the situation said. dallas morning news.
The first-team All-Pro wide receiver skipped the start of the team's spring training program. Lamb is awaiting a long-term contract extension and will be paid an annual salary of $17.99 million based on his fifth-year team option. Offseason participation is voluntary until a three-day minicamp in June.
Once his contract extension is completed, Lamb is expected to become the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history, but other than that, he does not intend to participate in Cowboys practices or workouts.
Lamb had a league-high 135 receptions, 1,749 yards, and 12 touchdowns. His catch and yardage totals broke Michael Irvin's franchise records. He caught 10 or more passes in seven games, an NFL record. Six of his cases occurred in his last 11 weeks.
Lam is an elite player looking to reap the rewards of resetting the market. Playing in the spring as an option on his rookie contract is not something elite players do. At least that's what San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Joey Bosa and New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams embodied in 2023 after their All-Pro seasons.
Lamb will likely miss several weeks of the team's spring training program before missing one rep with Dak Prescott. His first two weeks of field activity in the workout program will be dedicated solely to strength building and conditioning, as stated in the collective bargaining agreement. Coordinator Mike Zimmer's first live reps with the defense won't take place until team activities are organized.
Six OTA practices will begin on May 24th.
Mandatory minicamp runs from June 4th to June 6th. The Cowboys can fine players up to $101,716 for missing a three-day minicamp in June without an excuse. A possible workaround is to “hold on” rather than hold back. In that scenario, Lamb would report to the team facility but might not be able to participate in practice.
It's unclear how Lamb will approach minicamp in June or, if not extended, training camp in late July.
What's certain now is that Lamb is no longer with the Cowboys, and that won't change for the foreseeable future.
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