The Detroit Lions made Amon-Ra St. Brown the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL with a massive contract extension on Wednesday, and that deal is likely to have serious ramifications for the Dallas Cowboys.
Star receiver CeeDee Lamb has been awaiting a contract extension of his own this offseason, as the 2024 campaign is the final year of his rookie deal. He skipped the start of the Cowboys' voluntary offseason workouts, and it wouldn't be a surprise if he no-showed mandatory minicamp in June if he doesn't have a new deal by then.
The 25-year-old is set to make a guaranteed $17.99 million in 2024 on his fifth-year option. However, St. Brown's new four-year, $120 million contract extension includes $77 million guaranteed and carries an average annual value of $30 million. Lamb will likely be looking to surpass those figures with his next deal.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said on Tuesday that he's "not ready to go" on contract extensions for Lamb, quarterback Dak Prescott or edge rusher Micah Parsons, adding that he's hoping to see how deals play out across the league.
"Who in the world would think that we're not working on it? I work on it. It pops up at 2 in the morning sometimes," Jones said. "What you're actually questioning is why don't you have something done and negotiated and put in the drawer? Well, we'd like to see some more leaves fall. We'd like to see some more action."
Jones should have been more careful with what he wished for, as St. Brown's deal virtually guarantees that the Cowboys will have to pay a massive amount to keep Lamb happy.
Fans on social media couldn't help but take aim at the Cowboys following Brown's deal, with many believing that Dallas fumbled by not paying Lamb already:
Charles Robinson @CharlesRobinson<a href="">#Cowboys</a> shouldn't have let some of these leaves fall.
Jeff Cavanaugh @timeforjeffreyCeeDee Lamb: <a href=""> <a href="">
John Owning @JohnOwningCeeDee Lamb: <a href="">
Brandon Murchison @RotoSuperstarCeeDee Lamb seeing this news today. <a href=""> <a href="">
RJ Ochoa @rjochoaLeaves just fell for Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys.<br><br>CeeDee Lamb's price just went up. <a href="">
Ross Tucker @RossTuckerNFLEXCLUSIVE: Just shot this video of Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, & Brandon Aiyuk: <a href="">
Jake @jakewilcox05JJettas and CeeDee Lamb are about to get generational bags
Jesse Moeller @JMoeller05Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, Ja'Marr Chase, Brandon Aiyuk, Jaylen Waddle, and Tee Higgins, all seeing Amon-Ra St. Brown's contract. <a href="">
Kevin Gray Jr. @KevinGraySportsHey Jerry the market just went up again for CeeDee Lamb, you ready to get his deal done? <br><br>Jerry: <a href="">
Bryan Perez @BryanPerezNFLCeeDee Lamb right now: <a href=""> <a href="">
Lamb is coming off a spectacular 2023 campaign in which he set new career highs across the board with 135 receptions, 1,749 yards, 12 receiving touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns. He earned his third straight Pro Bowl selection and was named first-team All-Pro for the first time in his young career.
The Cowboys will have no choice but to empty their pockets to keep Lamb in the fold. However, it will not be easy with extensions for Prescott and Parsons also on the horizon.
This all makes for a brewing storm that is coming to Dallas, and Jones only has himself to blame.
