CeeDee Lamb to Chiefs trade proposal: Can Brett Veach make room for Cowboys star amid Hollywood Brown's injury?
CeeDee Lamb has been locked into a battle with Jerry Jones as he reportedly seeks a massive new contract extension with the Dallas Cowboys. He is entering the final year of his current deal ahead of the 2024 NFL season but reportedly might not be willing to play football without a new contract first.
Lamb has been holding out during the offseason amid his ongoing negotiations, opting to skip the Cowboys' training camp. If a deal doesn't get done prior to Week 1, Lamb's availability could be in jeopardy, which has resulted in some trade rumors swirling for the superstar wide receiver.
If the Cowboys explore a trade for Lamb, the Kansas City Chiefs have emerged as a potential destination. Hollywood Brown recently suffered a sternoclavicular joint injury in his shoulder during the preseason, so he could be in danger of missing time. General manager Brett Veach could potentially be looking for a replacement, making Lamb a possible trade target.
The issue is that the Chiefs might not be able to give Lamb the contract he is looking for, as they have $15 million cap space in 2024 and a projected $13.36 million next season. However, we have seen NFL teams restructure deals in the past and this would likely be something they would have to consider.
What Chiefs' CeeDee Lamb trade package could look like
If the Kansas City Chiefs are interested in making a potential trade for CeeDee Lamb, it will be extremely costly for them to do so. He has been one of the best overall wide receivers in the NFL, including leading all players in receptions last season on his way to being selected as a first-team All-Pro.
Players of Lamb's caliber rarely become available in the trade market, especially when they are in the prime of their careers. This means that the Dallas Cowboys would be able to set an astronomical price tag for their superstar player if they decide to explore a trade rather than give him the massive contract extension that he's reportedly seeking.
The most recent example of a wide receiver as productive as CeeDee Lamb getting traded during the offseason came back in 2022 and also involved the Chiefs. They were on the other side of the deal, sending away Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins. Their return package was five picks in the NFL draft, including a first, second, two fourths, and a sixth.
At the time of the trade, Hill was one of the best players in the entire NFL, much like Lamb is right now. The trade with the Dolphins could serve as a reference for what the Cowboys could ask for in return for sending Lamb to the Chiefs. They could also be seeking a wide receiver in return, replacing some of the draft capital, as Dallas lacks depth at the position.
Trade Package: Rashee Rice, first-round pick, second-round pick, and fourth-round pick.
Trade Package: Xavier Worthy and two first-round picks.
Trade Package: Two first-round picks and two second-round picks.
How CeeDee Lamb would fit in the Chiefs WR room
The only time that Patrick Mahomes has had a truly elite wide receiver to work with was when Tyreek Hill was still on the team. Rashee Rice served as his number-one option last season, but he was not the All-Pro level of Hill and Lamb.
The Chiefs have currently been using more of a committee approach to their wide receivers, supplemented by adding Xavier Worthy and Hollywood Brown during the 2024 NFL offseason. Their top three projected options all come with a certain amount of risk ahead of Week 1, so CeeDee Lamb would solidify the position, while also providing them with a major upgrade.
Rice is currently facing a potential suspension, Brown was injured during the preseason, and Worthy is a rookie, which always presents additional risk than most other players. Lamb doesn't have any of these risky situations associated with him, as long as he gets the contract extension he is seeking.
If the Chiefs can pull off the trade and get a deal done, the defending back-to-back Super Bowl champions would elevate to be an even bigger threat this year, if that's even possible.