Stephen Jones may have angered CeeDee Lamb with ridiculous comment amid holdout
By Jerry Trotta
![Oct 29, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) reacts during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports Oct 29, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) reacts during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3076,h_1730,x_0,y_120/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/129/01j3nkj44bhrmvqdv15q.jpg)
The first practice of Dallas Cowboys training camp is underway. As it always does, the practice followed the team's state of the union press conference that featured owner and de facto general managerJerry Jones, executive vice president Stephen Jones and head coach Mike McCarthy.
As expected, the Joneses went on the defensive after they received vitriol from Cowboys fans and the media for another passive offseason. Jerry and Stephen's blatant misunderstanding of the salary cap was on full display, but all fans cared about was an update on CeeDee Lamb's contract.
While Dak Prescott's future is technically up in the air, he is at least participating in camp. Lamb, however, is staging a contract holdout and risks being behind $40,000 for every missed practice since he is still on his rookie deal.
The Cowboys have commendably kept the particulars of Lamb's negotiation behind closed doors. However, that changed in one fell swoop on Thursday thanks to the team's executive vice president.
Stephen Jones made dumbest CeeDee Lamb comment possible during Cowboys' press conference
Jones moronically revealed to the country that Lamb wants to become the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. Taking the media and fans behind the curtain of a high-profile contract negotiation is one of the cardinal sins a front office executive can make. It's a blatant violation of privacy and confidence between a player and an organization.
Stephen Jones said Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb wants to be the highest paid non quarterback in the NFL. So that’s $35 million plus annually
— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) July 25, 2024
Lamb may not care that Jones revealed his secret. At some point in the near future, Lamb will become one of the wealthiest non-QBs in the league. But would anyone blame the All-Pro if Jones' slip-up rubbed him the wrong way? Absolutely not.
Knowing how the Jones operate, it's well within the realm of possibilities that Jones' comment was intentional. The Cowboys are notorious for negotiating through the media ... even though they lose almost every negotiation with star players.
The Micah Parsons contract meddling started just as the 2023 season ended. Parsons was slandered through the media and 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, which Jerry Jones happens to be a weekly guest on.
Whatever the case, Cowboys fans will love hearing that Lamb is working out in Houston, per NFL Network's Jane Slater. Lamb is reportedly down five pounds and is "bigger faster and more explosive than previous years," per Slater.
There's a high chance that Lamb is completely unbothered by Jones' comment. However, there's also a firm possibility that No. 88 is peeved that Jones aired his dirty laundry, for lack of a better term, to the world. Since, you know, that is virtually unprecedented.
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