FRISCO, Texas -- CeeDee Lamb is having the best receiving season in the history of the Dallas Cowboys. His league-leading 122 catches and 1,651 receiving yards both broke Hall of Famer Michael Irvin's previous franchise single-season records set back in the last Super Bowl championship season for Dallas in 1995.
Irvin made sure to talk to Lamb after he broke both records in the Cowboys' 20-19 Week 17 win against the Detroit Lions, leaving him motivated for the postseason.
"Obviously, congratulations," Lamb said Thursday when asked what Irvin's message to him was after breaking the former No. 88's records. "It was a big moment for me, of course. Then, just keep battling, keep going. Now it's time to go chase the ring was basically the end message. I'm with that. That's always been my end goal and still is."
What's crystal clear entering the playoffs is that Lamb is one of the NFL's best receivers, leading the position in targets (168), catches (122), yards from scrimmage (1,757) and catches of 20 or more yards (29).
"Most definitely, I'm definitely one of the elite receivers in this game," Lamb said. "I worked my tail off to be that and to say that confidently. Having that ability. It's good to be elite, but how consistent?. How long can you be elite is the next challenge. I'm looking forward to it. Can't wait."
CeeDee Lamb
DAL • WR • #88
TAR168
REC122
REC YDs1651
REC TD10
FL2
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CeeDee Lamb this season
| NFL WR Ranks | ||
|---|---|---|
Targets | 168* | 1st |
Receptions | 122* | 1st |
Receiving Yards | 1,651 | 2nd |
Scrimmage Yards | 1,757 | 1st |
Scrimmage TD | 12 | T-2nd |
Receptions of 20+ Yards | 29* | 1st |
*Leads NFL
In order for the Cowboys to find out how consistently elite the 24-year-old Lamb can be, they will have to pay up. The 17th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft enters the final season of his rookie deal, his $17.99 million fifth-year option year. Most top players don't enter the final year of a contract as a lame duck, without a fresh, new deal set to kick in. The highest average per year on a current wide receiver contract belongs to Miami Dolphins All-Pro Tyreek Hill with a figure of $30 million as part of four-year, $120 million deal. The highest total value of a wide receiver contract belongs to Las Vegas Raiders All-Pro Davante Adams as part of a five-year, $140 million contract.
"Ideally, for sure," Lamb said when asked about being paid like those at the top of his position. "At the end of it all, once again, I've got a goal in mind and that's to get a [Super Bowl] ring. At the end of that, then we'll start talking about everything else. I'm going to focus on this then we'll get on that."
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While Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones refuses to get into contract specifics on the record, he made clear that Lamb has exceeded all expectations the team had for him when he dropped to their 17th pick in the draft four years ago.
"Well let me just say this, he has shown everything that I thought he would be," Jones said Friday on 105.3 The Fan, via ESPN. "You guys know well enough that you don't talk your business and negotiate in a public forum. But the point is, he's certainly met the mark of anything that we thought he could be when we drafted him. And we drafted him with our first pick, we pushed aside a pressure player, pass-rusher, some other positions that you might have normally used at that level. When CeeDee dropped down there to us, it was a no-brainer to bring him on. He's lived up to that, and I think he's just getting started. I think there's a lot more from him to come."
Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, who is also Dallas' offensive play-caller, attributes much of Lamb's breakout to an already great player getting more chances to produce a second year removed from the team's former top wideout,Amari Cooper, being traded to the Cleveland Browns.
"Oh, I think he's just been given more opportunities," McCarthy said Thursday of Lamb's record-setting production. "I think the targets represent that. But we started moving him around last year, similar to the way we played with Amari. I think part of that role is, I mean if you're going to be a No. 1 receiver in the league, I think it's important for him to be able to move around. He has such a unique skill set. I think he's a dynamic player from the backfield too. Remember his rookie year, he was our punt returner. So he has the ability to do it all from any spot on the field."
The numbers back up McCarthy's assessment. Lamb leads the NFL in receiving yards from lining up in the slot with 870, but this season he has produced nearly the same amount of catches from lining up on the outside of the formation (59) as he has lining up inside (63).
"I think when you look at CeeDee obviously he's extremely gifted in so many ways," McCarthy said Monday. "Physically, there's really nothing that he can't do. But I just think that's the way you have to play the wide receiver position. I mean it's my personal experience, defenses, if you line up in the same spot I think you make it so much easier for the defense to identify and double you and roll coverage. Because obviously he's seeing some form of double weekly whether it's a Cover 1, double [coverage] and rolling. Quarter, quarter half, they're rolling the half safety to him. So his ability to play inside and outside is the point I'm making. It just makes him so versatile and I think his versatility is a big part of his success because I mean there's, I mean, he has an extensive route menu. And then the person. He's such a competitive athlete and loves the opportunity. He never blinks. So, I mean, he's exactly what you're looking for."
CeeDee Lamb production in slot vs. out wide this season
| Slot | Outside | |
|---|---|---|
Snaps | 476 | 402 |
Snap Rate | 54.2%* | 44.6%* |
Targets | 92 | 76 |
Receptions | 63 | 59 |
Receiving Yards | 870** | 781 |
Receiving TD | 7 | 3 |
*Per Pro Football Focus
**Leads NFL
After the year Lamb has had, his quarterback, Dak Prescott, is ready to anoint him as the NFL's best wide receiver.
"On the day he showed up," Prescott said Thursday when asked when Lamb became an elite receiver. "Yeah, he had it all in him. Was he necessarily producing and doing it at that time? We had another No. 1 wide receiver here as well. So I guess maybe in that transition. ... I guess when Amari left and him [Lamb] really just understanding, 'It's time for me to take this leap and take on this role.' Yeah, from that moment. I think he's emerged himself as maybe the best receiver in the league at this point."
Cowboys cornerback Stephon Gilmore is one of the best cornerbacks in the entire NFL of the last decade or so with a resume that includes: a 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award, a Super Bowl LIII title with the New England Patriots, five Pro Bowl selections and two first-team All-Pro selections. The 12-year vet knew Lamb was a good player, but his appreciation for the Pro Bowl receiver has grown tremendously in Gilmore's first season as Lamb's teammate.
"Everything really stands out: his route running, his yards after catch," Gilmore said Wednesday. "He's big (6-foot-2, 200 pounds). He's bigger than what people think. Stronger, too. He's been having a great year, and it's no surprise because even today at practice because he does those things in practice. So, it's no surprise when he does it in a game. He makes the one-handed catches, the big catches in practice. He runs his routes the same. When you do that all throughout the week, Sunday is easy because you've already done them a million times. Even before being on the Cowboys, I didn't know how big and strong he is. It's good to see him putting together a good season. He's put the work in and he deserves it."
Gilmore is the last defensive back to be named the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year. Based on what he has seen Lamb do in 2023, he believes Lamb should be in the running for the league's Offensive Player of the Year award. Lamb's NFL-best 122 catches account for 31% of the Cowboys' team receptions total, the highest rate in the league.
"Yeah, for sure. I don't know his stats, but I know he broke [Michael Irvin's Cowboys records] last week, so I think he should definitely be considered," Gilmore said. "If you really watch him all throughout the year, he really stepped up big for us, and I don't know too many receivers that had a season like he has."
However, Lamb himself took the high road and made the case for San Francisco 49ers Pro Bowl running back Christian McCaffrey to win the award. McCaffrey leads the NFL in scrimmage yards (2,023) and co-leads the league in touchdowns from scrimmage (21) for the NFC's top seed. Lamb is right behind him with with 1,757 scrimmage yards.
"I'd let all that handle itself, I don't really think too much on it," Lamb said when asked about his candidacy for Offensive Player of the Year. "I go out there and play. But Christian McCaffrey deserves it, he has been doing a great job. Obviously I just saw he's sitting out right now [in Week 18]. "The way he's been playing 2,000 yards with like 20 something touchdowns. The way he's able to carry a load week in and week out, that's amazing at running back too also. I feel like that's been underappreciated. If you want to throw my name in there, that's cool too."
What's even cooler for the Cowboys is that Lamb thinks his connection with Prescott, who leads the NFL with 32 touchdown passes this season, can continue to improve off what has been a historic season for the duo.
"Listen, we can be better for sure," Lamb said. "I've seen him at his best, we all have. Just the work that we put in. It's just so much we can do out there on the field together. I feel like if we are locked in to start the offense, obviously, we're locked in, the offense is flowing. Anything that Dak wants he can get to. Run, pass, RPO, scramble whatever it is, it's available for him. Once we get that ball rolling, its over."
