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One day before the Draft, Dallas is hit with an announcement that could negatively affect their plans for the season.
The news that is shaking the NFL community this Wednesday is the contract extension of wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. He signed with the Detroit Lions for another four years at a value of more than $120M with $77M guaranteed – Ian Rapoport, from NFL Network, has informed.
Given this, when it comes to average annual salary, the player joins Tyreek Hill as the highest paid wide receivers and will earn about $30M. This means that St Brown is ahead of Davante Adams and Cooper Kupp – in terms of money, that is.
But what does this have to do with the Dallas Cowboys? The reasoning is quite simple, actually. This astronomical renewal that the Lions made with their WR increases the price of CeeDee Lamb.
If Jerry Jones was at all worried about the money he’d have to spend to keep his main offensive star, now the situation has taken a turn for the worse.
The leaves that needed to fall have just dropped for the Dallas owner
At Jones’ pre-Draft press conference last Tuesday, he said he needed ‘more action’ and wanted to ‘see more leaves fall’ before making any decisions. Well, Jerry, here’s the action you were looking for.
CeeDee Lamb has just reached a level that, if you really want to keep a competitive squad, you’re going to have to pay for. In fact, he’s one of at least two players the organisation needs to secure in the team. And I’m not talking about Dak Prescott…
Lamb has already skipped the preliminary workouts of the offseason programme. Even though it’s a voluntary move, it’s his response to the lack of negotiations over his extension.
He is expected to make a guaranteed $17.9 million in 2024, as the Cowboys have taken up their fifth-year option.
What a bad timing for America’s Teams
I don’t think most people expected that the contract Detroit would offer St. Brown would be this huge. But that’s what you’re up against when you don’t make the moves you need to at the time you should.
Before this happened, it was already assumed that CD would match Hill’s contract value or even surpass it.
Lamb was drafted a year before the Lions’ receiver, specifically in the 17th pick of the first round, while St. Brown was the 112th pick.
Both players were named to the Pro Bowl in 2023, but the Dallas catcher fared better in the numbers: he led the NFL in yards, receptions, touchdowns and also rushing.
This move by the Lions shows that they are committed to securing the division title again and seeking the NFC Championship. Much more all-in than the Cowboys.
CeeDee Lamb will be paid, if not in Dallas, then in some other team. It just depends on the strategy Jerry Jones intends to apply this season.