Dallas Cowboys star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has been placed on the commissioner's exempt list. What does that mean, and how does it impact Lamb's status for the 2024 season?
Here are key facts about the NFL commissioner's exempt list.
What is the commissioner's exempt list in the NFL?
The NFL's player personnel manual defines the commissioner's exempt list as "a special player status available to clubs only in unusual circumstances," according to NFL.com . The list is designed to serve as a placeholder and give NFL teams some roster flexibility. The designation prevents a player from counting against a team's active roster limit of 53 players.
How does the commissioner's exempt list work?
The commissioner's exempt list is, in effect, paid leave. While on the list, players are not allowed to play football. Instead, players are permitted to attend meetings, workouts, and receive treatments at the team facility.
Only NFL commissioner Roger Goodell -- not a team -- has the authority to place a player on the exempt list. The commissioner also has the sole authority to determine the length of a player's stint on the exempt list and when that player will return to the active roster.
A player can land on the list for a variety of reasons. It has been used with increasing regularity since 2014, when then- Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was placed on the list for a full season amid child abuse allegations .
The list in recent years has also included Michael Vick (2009), Jonathan Vilma (2012), Greg Hardy (2014), Josh Brown (2016), Reuben Foster (2018) and Kareem Hunt (2018).
Why is CeeDee Lamb on the commissioner's exempt list?
Lamb was placed on the commissioner's exempt list when the Cowboys were granted a two-game roster exemption. The designation allows Dallas to not have to use a roster spot on Lamb while the three-time Pro Bowler works his way back up to speed after holding out of training camp.
Lamb held out before signing a four-year, $136 million contract extension. The deal included a $38 million signing bonus, a record for wide receivers, and $100 million guaranteed. The $34 million annual average places Lamb second among receivers, trailing only Justin Jefferson of the Vikings.
Who else is currently on the commissioner's exempt list?
Cleveland Browns rookie defensive lineman Mike Hall Jr. has been placed on the commissioner's exempt list as he faces a domestic violence charge. Hall has pleaded not guilty to one count of domestic violence.
Hall will not be eligible to play in or attend games, and he cannot practice. However, the Browns can allow him to be present at their facility for meetings, individual workouts, therapy, rehabilitation and other permitted non-football activities.
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