Cowboys' star WR CeeDee Lamb expected to holdout through training camp amid contract talks

Dallas Cowboys star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb did not make an appearance at voluntary OTAs or mandatory minicamp during the spring training program as he holds out for a well-deserved contract extension.

Now, as July's training camp approaches, Lamb is also expected to skip out on that if no deal gets done, according to Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News .

"For the second consecutive year, there’s a possibility a key starter will hold out of training camp," Watkins reports. "Lamb missed the entire offseason program and is expected to miss training camp if he doesn’t get a new deal."

The Cowboys have only put themselves in a bind as they continue to wait to pay both Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott while other stars across the league sign bigger contracts, giving these guys more leverage to work with.

Lamb, a former No. 17 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, enters the last year of his current contract this falls before he becomes a free agent in 2025.

He will make above $17M fully guaranteed in 2024 based on his fifth-year option, but he's worth much more than that after a 2023 season where he hauled in a league and career-high 135 catches for 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns.

The Minnesota Vikings recently inked Justin Jefferson to a four-year, $140 million contract extension with $100 million guaranteed, which means Lamb's deal should be around the same if not higher.

The Cowboys will officially report to training camp on July 25, so there is still plenty of time for both parties to figure it out.

If they don't, however, then Lamb could face fines north of $50,000 for every day of training camp that he misses.

Related: ESPN names obvious final move Cowboys need to make ahead of training camp