CeeDee Lamb wastes no time sending a clear message from Dak Prescott to Jerry Jones

To say it’s been a hectic week for the Dallas Cowboys would be an understatement. All that matters is that they’ve ended CeeDee Lamb’s holdout. Lamb has officially signed his blockbuster four-year extension and he was back on the practice field on Tuesday.

Lamb spoke to the media for the first time in months and was adamant that he will play a full set of snaps in Week 1. Because Lamb signed so late and hasn’t practiced all summer, fans are concerned about his fitness and the risk of a soft-tissue injury.

Lamb has allayed any concerns about that. He also studied film during his holdout, so two weeks should be plenty of time for him and Dak Prescott to rekindle their elite chemistry and get up to speed on any tweaks Mike McCarthy has made to the playbook.

Now that Lamb’s contract is signed and sealed, the focus shifts to whether the Cowboys can reach an agreement with Prescott on a new contract. Dallas has doubled and tripled its commitment to Dak, but Lamb wants the front office to put words into action.

“If you look at our numbers, they’re at the top of the charts,” Lamb said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic. “I have no doubt they’re going to make a deal. We all know I want Dak here. Jerry wants Dak here, so let’s just get this under control and stop the speculation.”

Man, was Lamb missed or what? Hours after landing in Dallas to sign his contract, he’s already telling Jones what to do. Someone’s got to do it, right?

While Prescott and the Cowboys are locked in negotiations, the Jones family seems content to let the Pro Bowler play out the final year of his contract and resume negotiations in the offseason. That would be a big mistake. The closer Dak gets to free agency, the more money he rightly demands.

Fortunately, a simple reading of the tea leaves suggests the Cowboys understand the urgency of extending Prescott. On the one hand, it’s hard to imagine Dallas making Lamb the second-richest receiver in NFL history if they weren’t sure who was going to give him the ball.

Furthermore, the details of Lamb’s contract suggest the Cowboys are working hard behind the scenes to sign Prescott before Week 1. Lamb’s base salary in 2024 is just $1.15 million, rising to $26.65 million in 2025. His salary cap hit this season is $8.75 million, rising to $35.45 million next year.

With Lamb signed, the finances are in place for Dallas to make Prescott the highest-paid quarterback in league history.

Jerry Jones likes to wait until the last minute to pay his stars, so it wouldn’t be surprising if that drags on until next year. Jones would be smart with his $136 million receiver. Already a prominent voice in favor of his contract, Lamb’s words now carry a lot more weight.

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