CeeDee Lamb wants to get paid and the Dallas Cowboys have yet to break open the checkbook.
As the two sides play a game of chicken, rumors have started to surface that a trade demand could come from Lamb. While Clarence Hill, Jr. shot down the idea that Lamb would try and play hardball, he added another interesting nugget.
Hill stated it will take more than $32 million to get Lamb to sign on the dotted line.
His claim makes sense, considering Justin Jefferson signed a four-year deal worth $140 million. We can argue that Jefferson can demand more, but that's not how negotiations work. As we've seen with quarterbacks, the latest contract is the new floor in talks for the next man up.
With that being the case, it makes it seem more likely the frugal Jones family is thinking about their options. But should they consider trading Lamb?
Why the Cowboys should trade CeeDee Lamb
Trading Lamb makes sense only in one scenario — if the Cowboys see their championship window closing. That's a tough thing to determine right now, making this the worst possible time for Lamb to be involved in a contract dispute.
With Mike McCarthy and Dak Prescott each heading into the final year of their deals, neither has any security beyond 2024. That's by design since the front office has doubts as to whether or not they're going to be able to get them over the hump.
If they knew they were keeping Prescott, they should do all they could to keep Lamb. But if they were ready to rebuild, sending their star wideout to a contending team for multiple draft picks would make sense.
In this scenario, they would need to do the same thing with Prescott. He would fetch multiple first-round picks, and Lamb would bring back a haul that surely included at least one more pick on Day 1. For a rebuilding team, that type of ammunition would be gold.
Why the Cowboys should not trade CeeDee Lamb
While a trade would make sense for a rebuilding team, there's also a chance the Cowboys could turn to Trey Lance in 2025. Whether or not that's wise is an entirely different discussion, but if they went this route, it would be ludicrous to send Lamb elsewhere.
Extending Lance would be far more affordable than extending Prescott, but the only way they would have any success with him would be to load up on talent around him. That includes ensuring he has a wideout who can turn a five-yard slant into a 50-yard touchdown.
They would also have to extend Micah Parsons and get a legitimate running back, but one major hurdle would be completed with Lamb signed long-term.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the only way it makes sense to trade Lamb would be if the Cowboys were ready to blow everything up and start from scratch. If they believe Prescott can take them to the Super Bowl, they need to ensure he has a No. 1 target. Conversely, if they believe Lance can be a starting quarterback, his life becomes easier with Lamb.
It all comes down to what the future looks like in the minds of Jerry and Stephen Jones, which means there's no telling how this will end.
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