A Dallas Cowboys star player is expected to holdout this offseason until they can strike a deal with the front office for a considerable chunk of change. The Cowboys need to finalize a few big contracts before the next offseason.
The Dallas Cowboys have a few big contracts looming
Quarterback Dak Prescott’s extension is the most significant question mark surrounding the team. The Cowboys’ refusal to extend Prescott this offseason means the team has less cap space to sign elite players to help in the playoffs.
That decision can’t sit well with another star player the Cowboys have to consider extending, Edge rusher Micah Parsons. Parsons has been vocal about wanting the front office to add help at premium positions so the team has a chance of winning the Super Bowl. There are reportedly some inside the Cowboys facility who wouldn’t be mad if the team traded or let Parsons walk in free agency.
CeeDee Lamb might hold out this offseason
But there is more potential drama on the horizon in Dallas. Per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, if history is any indication, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb might holdout until he gets a new deal:
“Barring a contract extension that, when complete, is expected to make Lamb the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history, Lamb won’t take the field. At least, that is the precedent he appears certain to follow.
Lamb’s agent, Tory Dandy, did not respond to a request for comment on whether Lamb will accompany teammates at Ford Center at The Star for the Cowboys’ spring workouts. But of course, Dandy and Lamb are aware attendance is voluntary for the bulk of spring.”
A $12 million difference
Lamb is set to play on his fifth-year option. He is set to make nearly $18 million for the upcoming season. Per Gehlken, Lamb’s value should be almost $12 million more than that and could be the reason for any potential holdout:
“[Lamb’s] projected value is north of the record $30 million per year Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill earns. Hill signed that contract in 2022. The league’s salary cap has since increased 22.7%.
For context, a $25 million player in 2022 would consume the same percentage of his team’s non-adjusted cap as a $30.7 million player would in 2024. Likewise, the cap-share equivalent of Hill’s $30 million average in 2022 is $36.8 million today.
That’s a scary prospect for several members of the Cowboys facility. In a contract year, Prescott needs his best wide receiver on the field. Head coach Mike McCarthy definitely wants his best producers on the field after much of his playoff roster from last season was blown up due to cap space issues.
$30 million is the going rate for top WR play
The Cowboys aren’t the only elite NFC team dealing with a wide receiver needing a pricey contract. San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk wants an extension this offseason. There are rumors he could potentially holdout if he doesn’t get a payday, and he wants $30 million a year, too.
$30 million is the going rate for elite wide receiver pay. The only question is, what teams are willing to pay for it?
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