Cowboys Minicamp: How much CeeDee Lamb can be fined if he doesn't show up for mandatory practice
Monday's NFL news cycle underlined the reason why superstar wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has yet to show up for the Dallas Cowboys' 2024 offseason program, as Justin Jefferson signed a four-year deal that made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the entire league.Meanwhile Lamb awaits his own deal as he enters a contract year. So far, […]
Monday's NFL news cycle underlined the reason why superstar wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has yet to show up for the Dallas Cowboys' 2024 offseason program, as Justin Jefferson signed a four-year deal that made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the entire league.
Meanwhile Lamb awaits his own deal as he enters a contract year. So far, missing practice hasn't been a major deal considering workouts have been voluntary up to this point. That changes on Tuesday, however, as the Cowboys will kick off mandatory minicamp.
Per the CBA, players that don't make practice in this phase of the offseason must be fined by their own team.
Lamb, who very likely won't be at The Star despite this, is set to sacrifice a lot of money by not showing up. For those wondering about the amounts, it's close to $100,00 if he decides to miss the entirety of minicamp.
Below are the amounts that players were fined for during the 2023 offseason, which are likely to remain almost the same one year later:
- $16,459 for the first day
- $32,920 for the second
- $49,374 for the third
- Total $99,113 for missing all three days of practice.
Now granted, Lamb likely cares very little about being fined the above amounts.
Under the current CBA, NFL teams are no longer allowed to "waive" minicamp-related fines but for players like him, holding out is still viable because getting a new contract ultimately outweighs the cost of the actual fines. It's nothing that a hefty signing bonus can't take care of.
Cowboys and Lamb are likely reaching a contract extension soon
Back in April, the Cowboys told reporters pre-draft that they wanted to "see more leaves fall" before signing Lamb to a long-term deal. Since then, Amon-Ra St. Brown (Lions), A.J. Brown (Eagles), and Justin Jefferson (Vikings) have all signed deals north of $30 million per year. Jefferson's contract is likely to serve as a ready-to-go template for the Cowboys and Lamb.
NFL insider Josina Anderson even reported negotiations could "speed up" as a result of the Vikings-Jefferson contract.
Lamb is only one of the "Big 3" players the Cowboys have to extend as Dak Prescott and Micah Parsons are due for new deals pretty soon. Prescott has shown no intention to hold out at all, which fits his desire to bet on himself like he did when franchise tagged back in 2020.
Although Micah Parsons was absent from Cowboys OTAs and Mike McCarthy showed some discontent about the situation, he's fully expected to show up for the mandatory portion of the offseason given he's not really engaged in a contract dispute with the team.
Instead, Parsons is opting to train by himself, mostly in a boxing gym. This has led to controversy around the fanbase as many wish the Cowboys' pass rusher would show a bigger willingness to spend time with his teammates.
Parsons will likely talk to reporters over the next few days and he'll most likely face questions about his decision to spend OTAs away from the team.
UPDATE: CeeDee Lamb not spotted at Cowboys minicamp
Ian Rapoport from NFL Network reported Tuesday morning that Lamb "has not been spotted in Dallas for mandatory minicamp." The report is unsurprising yet relevant as it confirms previous suspicions about Lamb's intentions.
