Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb says he’s ‘definitely one of the elite WRs’ and expects to get paid like that after SB pursuit

FRISCO, Texas — CeeDee Lamb has the best receiving season in Dallas Cowboys history. His league-leading 122 catches and 1,651 receiving yards both broke Hall of Famer Michael Irvin’s previous franchise records set during Dallas’ final Super Bowl championship season in 1995.

Irvin made sure to talk to Lamb after he broke both records in the Cowboys’ 20-19 Week 17 victory over the Detroit Lions, leaving him motivated for the playoffs.

“Obviously, congratulations,” Lamb said Thursday when asked what Irvin’s message was after breaking the old No. 88’s records. “It was a big moment for me, of course. Then, keep fighting, keep fighting. Now it’s time to go chase the ring, that was basically the final message. I’m OK with that. That’s always been my end goal and it’s still the case. “.

What is clear heading into the playoffs is that Lamb is one of the best receivers in the NFL, leading the position in targets (168), catches (122), scrimmage yards (1 757) and catches of 20 yards or more (29).

“Most definitely, I’m definitely one of the elite receivers in this game,” Lamb said. “I’ve worked hard to be that and to say it with confidence. To have that ability. It’s great to be elite, but how consistent is it?. How long can you be elite is the next challenge. I’m looking forward to it. I’m not waiting.”

CeeDee Lamb this season

Targets	168*	1st
Receptions	122*	1st
Reception sites	1,651	2nd
Melee yards	1,757	1st
TD Scrum	12	T-2nd
Receptions over 20 meters	29*	1st

* Runs the NFL

For the Cowboys to find out just how consistently elite Lamb, 24, can be, they’ll have to pay up. The 17th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft is entering the final season of his rookie contract, his $17.99 million fifth-year option year. Most top players don’t enter the final year of a contract as a lame duck, without a new deal ready to come into play. Highest annual average on a current wide receiver contract is owned by Miami Dolphins All-Pro Tyreek Hill at a reported $30 million in a four-year, $120 million deal. The highest total value of a wide receiver contract belongs to Las Vegas Raiders All-Pro Davante Adams on a five-year, $140 million contract.

“Ideally, of course,” Lamb said when asked if he was paid like those at the top of his job. “At the end of the day, again, I have one goal in mind and that is to get a [Super Bowl] ring. At the end of this, we’ll start talking about everything else. I’m going to focus on this, and then we’ll move on to that. »

While Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones refuses to go into specifics about the contract, he made it clear that Lamb exceeded all of the team’s expectations for him when he fell to the 17th overall pick. drafted four years ago.

“Well, let me just say this, he showed everything I thought he would be,” Jones said Friday on 105.3 The Fan, via ESPN. “You know damn well you don’t talk about your business and negotiate in a public forum. But the fact is he’s certainly hit the mark of everything we thought he could be when we got him drafted. And we drafted him with our first pick, we took away a pressure player, a passer, other positions that you normally would have used at that level. When CeeDee got there, he was a obvious to get him in. He’s lived up to that, and I think he’s just getting started. I think he’s got a lot more to come.

Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, who is also the head of Dallas’ offensive playmaking, attributes much of Lamb’s breakthrough to the fact that an already excellent player was given more of a chance to produce a distant sophomore of the team’s former best player, Amari Cooper, traded to Cleveland. The brown ones.

“Oh, I think he was just given more opportunities,” McCarthy said Thursday of Lamb’s record-setting production. “I think the goals represent that. But we started moving it last year, the same way we played with Amari. I think part of that role is, I mean, if you want being a No. 1 receiver in the league, I think it’s important for him to be able to move around. He has such a unique skill set. I think he’s also a dynamic player in the backfield. Remember his rookie year he was our punt returner, so he has the ability to do it all from any spot on the field.”

The numbers back up McCarthy’s assessment. Lamb leads the NFL in receiving yards while lining up in the slot with 870, but this season he has produced almost the same number of catches lining up outside the formation (59) as he has in aligning inside (63).

“I think when you look at CeeDee, it’s obvious that he’s extremely gifted in so many ways,” McCarthy said Monday. “Physically, there’s really nothing he can’t do. But I just think that’s the way to play the wide receiver position. I mean, that’s my personal experience, the defenses, if you line up in the same spot, I think you make it so much easier for the defense to identify you, double you and throw your coverage. Because obviously he sees some form of double weekly, whether it’s a cover 1, a double. [coverage] and ride. Quarter, quarter and half, they throw him half the safety. So it’s his ability to play inside and outside that’s what I’m talking about. That makes him so versatile and I think his versatility is a big part of his success because I mean, he has an extensive route menu. And then the person. He is a very competitive athlete and he loves this opportunity. He never blinks. So, I mean, he’s exactly what you’re looking for. »

CeeDee lamb production in the slot versus outside this season

Snaps	476	402
Catch rate	54.2%*	44.6%*
Targets	92	76
Receptions	63	59
Reception sites	870**	781
TD reception	7	3

*By Pro Football Focus

**Leads the NFL

After the year Lamb had, his quarterback, Dak Prescott, is ready to name him the best wide receiver in the NFL.

“The day he showed up,” Prescott said Thursday when asked when Lamb became an elite receiver. “Yeah, he had everything in him. Was he producing and necessarily doing it at that point? We also had another No. 1 receiver here. So I guess maybe in that transition. … I guess when Amari left and he [Lamb] I just understand, “It’s time for me to take this big leap and take on this role.” » Yeah, from this point on. I think he’s become maybe the best receiver in the league at this point. »

Cowboys cornerback Stephon Gilmore is one of the best cornerbacks in the entire NFL over the past decade with a resume that includes: a 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award, a of Super Bowl LIII with the New England Patriots, five Pro Bowls. selections and two first-team All-Pro selections. The 12-year veteran knew Lamb was a good player, but his appreciation for the Pro Bowl receiver grew immensely during Gilmore’s first season as Lamb’s teammate.

“Everything really stands out: his running route, his yards after the catch,” Gilmore said Wednesday. “He’s big (6-foot-2, 200 pounds). He’s bigger than people think. Stronger, too. He had a great year, and it’s no surprise because even today in practice, he does these things in practice. So, it’s no surprise when he does it in a game. He makes the one-handed catches, the big catches in practice. He makes his course the same way. When you do this all week, Sunday is easy because you’ve already “I’ve done them a million times. Even before I joined the Cowboys, I didn’t know how big and strong he was. It’s good to see him having a good season. He did the job and he deserves it. “

Gilmore is the latest defensive back to be named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year. Based on what he saw Lamb do in 2023, he thinks Lamb should be in the running for the league’s Offensive Player of the Year award. Lamb’s NFL-best 122 catches represent 31 percent of the Cowboys’ team total receptions, the highest rate in the league.

“Yeah, sure. I don’t know his stats, but I know he broke [Michael Irvin’s Cowboys records] “If you really watch him throughout the year, he’s really taken a big step for us, and I don’t know a lot of receivers that have had a season like he has.”

However, Lamb himself took the high road and made the case for San Francisco 49ers Pro Bowl running back Christian McCaffrey to win the award. McCaffrey leads the NFL in scrimmage yards (2,023) and co-leads the league in scrimmage touchdowns (21) for the NFC’s top seed. Lamb is right behind him with 1,757 yards from scrimmage.

“I’d let it all work itself out, I don’t really think about it,” Lamb said when asked about his candidacy for Offensive Player of the Year. “I go out there and play. But Christian McCaffrey deserves it, he did a great job. Obviously I just saw he’s out right now. [in Week 18]. “The way he played for 2,000 yards with about 20 touchdowns. The way he’s able to carry a load week in and week out, it’s amazing for the running back as well. I feel like that’s been underrated. If you want to throw my name in there, that’s cool too.”

What’s even cooler for the Cowboys is that Lamb believes his connection to Prescott, who leads NFL with 32 touchdown passes this season, can continue to improve on what has been a historic season for the duo.

“Look, we can definitely be better,” Lamb said. “I’ve seen him at his best, we’ve all seen him. Just the work we’ve done. It’s so much we can do together on the field. I feel like if we’re locked in for start the offense, obviously, we’re locked in, the offense is flowing. Anything Dak wants, he can achieve it. Run, pass, RPO, scramble whatever it is, it’s available to him. Once that we got the ball rolling, it’s over.