Amari Cooper inexplicably gets new contract before Cowboys pay CeeDee Lamb

The Dallas Cowboys continue to operate like one of the most dysfunctional organizations in the entire NFL. It's a miracle to think they have just three losing seasons in the last 19 years, but it's not at all surprising that they haven't advanced beyond the divisional round since 1995.

On the cusp of training camp, the Cowboys haven't had substantial talks with CeeDee Lamb regarding a contract extension, per the Dallas Morning News. Lamb doesn't intend to report to camp without a new deal, so this update suggests it could be a while before we see No. 88 in Oxnard.

It's inexplicable that Lamb still doesn't have a new contract. The fact the Cowboys haven't had legit talks with Lamb after the WR market was reset multiple times this offseason, including by Justin Jefferson in early-June, is front office negligence and malpractice.

The Cowboys are once again an offseason laughingstock and that title isn't going anywhere after Lamb's former teammate Amari Cooper agreed to a reworked contract with the Browns.

Amari Cooper somehow got paid before Cowboys reward CeeDee Lamb

Per multiple reports, Cooper and the Browns agreed to a $5 million raise on top of his $20 million salary. The former Cowboy is still entering the final year of his contract, but the $20 million left on the deal is now guaranteed. This means that $80 million of the $100 million he originally signed with Dallas will have been guaranteed.

Where to begin. For starters, wasn't the Cowboys' main motivator to trade Cooper to forge a runway to extend Lamb? The 25-year-old Lamb is widely regarded as a top-five receiver in the game after he finished first in catches and second in receiving yards last season. The year prior, Lamb was fifth in catches and sixth in yards.

It is baffling that Lamb is still waiting for a new deal while Cooper, who also held out of minicamp, already agreed to a reworked contract. It's as if a star player threatening to miss crucial practice time lights a fire under certain teams. Not the Cowboys.

The Browns' willingness to work with Cooper is another awful look for Dallas, who had the wide receiver on the same deal. They could have kept Cooper and given him an identical raise all the while giving Lamb a mega contract in due time, but let's not trek too far down memory lane.

At the end of the day, the Cowboys had all of six months this offseason and all of last year to ponder and negotiate an extension for Lamb. The fact the WR they traded to funnel the necessary funds to make that happen signed before Lamb takes the cake for the most embarrassing moment of the 2024 offseason.

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