Dallas Cowboys pass-rusher Micah Parsons has expressed confidence that wide receiver CeeDee Lamb will be in the starting lineup for the team’s season opener on September 8. Despite Lamb’s ongoing holdout, Parsons believes Lamb will be suited up for the game.
Parsons stated, “CeeDee is a part of the brotherhood whether he likes it or not,” according to ESPN’s Todd Archer. He added, “He knows he’s not going nowhere. The business side, they going to take care of him. But obviously, we miss him. I mean, he’s one of the best people you can have in a locker room, and I’m pretty sure he’ll be here soon because, no doubt about it, Week 1, he will be suited up for the Dallas Cowboys.”
Lamb has accrued nearly $1 million in fines for missing mandatory minicamp in June, training camp, and the team’s first preseason game. The All-Pro is facing a $40,000 fine for each day he skips training camp, although the Cowboys can rescind these penalties since he is still under his rookie contract.
Entering his fifth season with the Cowboys, Lamb is set to earn $17.9 million in the final year of his rookie deal. After a standout 2023 season where he led the league with 135 receptions and achieved career highs with 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns, Lamb is a strong candidate to become one of the NFL’s highest-paid receivers.
Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones mentioned last week that there was no immediate urgency to finalize an extension with Lamb. However, Jones clarified his position before the team’s preseason opener by acknowledging that Lamb is “missed.”
Despite Lamb’s absence from team practices, the Cowboys coaching staff is optimistic about his quick re-acclimation once an agreement is reached. Head coach Mike McCarthy noted, “You just make time to get done what you need to get done, that’s how I look at CeeDee when he gets here. We know CeeDee is always going to be in great shape and so forth.”
In addition to Lamb’s situation, the Cowboys are also in negotiations with quarterback Dak Prescott, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2024 season.
