The Cowboys didn’t need a wideout at the time, but when CeeDee Lamb fell into their laps in the 2020 draft, it may have been the wisest move in recent team history that they grabbed him. Dallas was all but set to take LSU edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson with their first-round pick that offseason; the idea of one of the draft’s top-three wideouts making to them seemed far-fetched.
But not only did one fall, both parts of the Alabama duo ofHenry Ruggs and Jerry Jeudy somehow went ahead of him. When Ruggs’ name was called to the Raiders at No. 13, the Cowboys fanbase saw the writing on the wall. The Tampa Bay Bucs at No. 14 already had Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and weren’t candidates to take a WR. The San Francisco 49ers had struck gold the year earlier with second-round pick Deebo Samuel and weren’t likely to take a WR either.
It was when the Denver Broncos took Jeudy instead of Lamb at No. 15 that things really got interesting because Atlanta, sitting at No. 16, had Pro Bowler Julio Jones and had spent a first rounder on Calvin Ridley a year earlier. All of those things played out exactly how they needed to for the Cowboys to end up with Lamb.
Rundown
Position: Wide Receiver
Age: 26
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 200 pounds
Hometown: New Orleans, LA and Houston, TX
High School: Foster High (Richmond, TX)
College: University of Oklahoma (Highlight Video)
Draft: 2020, First-round pick No. 17
Acquired: 2020 Draft
Contract: Four-year extension (2024), $136 million includes signing bonus of $38 million
2025 Base Salary: $1.85 million (guaranteed) | $1M in roster bonuses guaranteed) | Cap Hit: $15.3M
Career Earnings: $53.1 million (per Over The Cap)
Profile
Lamb’s talent has been undeniable as he’s ascended from WR2, compliment to Amari Cooper, to WR1 to All-Pro and in the conversation for best wideout in the league. What had been questioned, his toughness and leadership, were answered in the lost season of 2024, where despite a down year for the club and losing his starting QB Dak Prescott to injury midway through the year, he powered through a badly-injured shoulder week after week.
Lamb’s calling card is his run-after-the-catch ability, he’s a threat to score on any route that has him working across the field or vertically. He’s seen at least 150 targets each of the last three years, has accrued at least 1,000 receiving yards each of the last four years, all Pro Bowl campaigns. He was a First-Team All-Pro in 2023 when he led the league in receptions with 135 and averaged almost 103 yards a game. he also finished third in Offensive Player of the Year voting.
After not having a true compliment in 2024, the Cowboys front office went out and got him his own “him”, adding George Pickens from Pittsburgh to be a dynamic deep threat and return the club to the days of dual-WR1 like they had in 2021 and 2022. Lamb’s targets might decrease slightly, but his numbers should rise as there’s no way he sees the same amount of double teams he has the last two seasons.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys may use $136 million asset less, gain more from 4x Pro Bowler in 2025
Reporting by K.D. Drummond, Cowboys Wire / Cowboys Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
