Cowboys' CeeDee Lamb sends perfect message amid contract holdout

The Dallas Cowboys have arrived in Oxnard for training camp. While Dak Prescott was on the team flight to Cali as he seeks a new contract, CeeDee Lamb was not. The first practice of camp is scheduled for Thursday and the expectation is that Lamb will not be in attendance.

If Lamb does not report before Thursday, this will be an official holdout and Lamb will be subject to fines from the organization.

Skipping the start of training camp has historically fared well for Cowboys players. Last summer, standout guard Zack Martin received his desired raise by missing the first several practices. A more notable example is Ezekiel Elliott's 2019 holdout. It ended with Zeke becoming the NFL's highest-paid running back.

The Cowboys will get a deal with Lamb done before long, perhaps as early as next week. Lamb has been training rigorously all offseason so he'll hit the ground running once he's back on the practice field.

In the meantime, the All-Pro receiver has paid tribute to former Cowboys teammate Michael Gallup, who has shockingly decided to retire from the NFL at just 28 years old.

Cowboys' CeeDee Lamb shouts out Michael Gallup after shocking retirement news

This is class personified from Lamb. He tugged on Cowboys fans' heartstrings with an emotional caption to close out the tribute: "til Infinity brada I got you. Enjoy Retirement King," Lamb wrote on Instagram.

Tuesday night was an emotional one for Cowboys fans. First, the inevitable news of Lamb's holdout was confirmed. No less than an hour later ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the Raiders placed Gallup on the reserve/retired list one day before Las Vegas' training camp is set to begin.

A third-round pick in 2018, Gallup played all six seasons with the Cowboys. Prime Gallup was among the most fun receivers in the NFL to watch every Sunday. He looked like a budding star during the 2019 season when he caught 66 passes for 1,107 yards and six touchdowns. He caught everything in his radius and announced himself as a legit WR2 behind Amari Cooper.

Then injuries derailed Gallup's career, specifically his torn ACL in 2021. Surgery depleted his explosion and did a number on his confidence. He hadn't had more than 500 receiving yards since 2020, which led to his release this offseason.

The early end to Gallup's career is a sad one. He left the Cowboys on unfortunate terms and will forever be tied to the infamous Amari Cooper trade, but Jerry and Stephen Jones deserve to wear that more than anyone.

Lamb and Cowboys Nation have given Gallup the send-off he deserves on social media. Expect the tributes to keep pouring in.

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