It wouldn't be a Dallas Cowboys offseason without Jerry Jones staring down a massive contract decision involving a star player. The torch has been passed to George Pickens, who was named a second-team All-Pro after catching 93 passes for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns.
Of course, there is the $100 million elephant in the room: CeeDee Lamb. With a $34 million annual salary and $100 million in guaranteed money, the five-time Pro Bowler is currently the game's third-highest-paid receiver.
Only Ja'Marr Chase ($40.25 million) and Justin Jefferson ($35 million) make more than Lamb, and Pickens has a strong argument to break the $30 million threshold after his career year. But would Lamb be comfortable if Pickens approached or even eclipsed his $34 million salary?
Not one bit. Jason Minnix of 94.1 San Antonio's Sports Star asked Lamb straight up if he'd be alright if Pickens ended up with a bigger contract than him, and No. 88 answered without hesitation.
"Nah, I don't care about that," Lamb said. "I just want my man to get what he deserves. As for me, I know I'm good. I'm fine. Me and my family, we're straight, and I just want to compete at the highest level, and I want to compete for a ring . . . As for GP, he's well-deserving. He deserves every penny that he gets. And if he gets more than me, I'm gonna congrats him on that."
Cowboys' CeeDee Lamb doesn't care if George Pickens gets a bigger contract than him
Can someone make sure that quote gets to Jerry Jones' office? That'd be swell.
All jokes aside, this is exactly the kind of leadership you want to see from Lamb. The Cowboys already took care of him, and now it's Pickens' turn to get paid.
From the moment Pickens arrived, Lamb has been his biggest cheerleader. The two have grown close, and Lamb understands the team is better with Pickens in the fold. It would be out of character for Lamb to feel any type of way about Pickens’ contract. And around the league, most players want the next man up to get paid. The jealousy narrative is extremely overblown.
READ MORE: CeeDee Lamb just shot down Micah Parsons' attempt to recruit George Pickens
You can understand Minnix's question, but Lamb has never wavered about wanting Pickens to continue playing for Dallas. His production declined a bit this past season, but he still got his, hauling in 75 passes for 1,077 yards and three touchdowns.
It's important to remember that Lamb missed three games with an ankle sprain after leaving Week 3 against the Bears in the first quarter. He essentially missed four games and still finished 11th in receiving yards. In terms of receiving yards per game, Lamb's 76.9 ranked sixth.
Lamb and Pickens' games complement each other perfectly. Pickens is one of the best X receivers in football, providing a true downfield threat for Dak Prescott, while Lamb plays all three receiver positions at an elite level. Together, they stretch defenses and create favorable matchups across the field.
If Jerry Jones had any concerns about irritating or isolating Lamb by giving Pickens a big contract, Lamb put those to rest. If paying Pickens wasn’t already a no-brainer in Jerry’s eyes, it better be now.