Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was absent at the start of voluntary workouts Monday as his contract situation in Dallas threatens to become a dramatic offseason subplot.

Lamb enters the final year of his contract, a fifth-year option worth a guaranteed $17.199 million, after being named first-team All-Pro in 2023.

Lamb broke Michael Irvin's single-season franchise marks with an NFL-high 135 catches and 1,749 yards, adding a career-high 12 touchdown catches in 17 starts in 2023.

Dallas faces difficult footing in contract talks with multiple key players from a group that includes Lamb, quarterback Dak Prescott and pass rusher Micah Parsons.

Prescott is in the final year of a four-year, $160 million contract, and Parsons has one year left on his rookie contract but will be on the fifth-year team option in 2025.

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