Could Cowboys face Tyreek Hill situation with CeeDee Lamb? NFL analyst highlights possibility
As CeeDee Lamb likely knows, Tyreek Hill has been the biggest wide receiver trade of the 2020s, but he won't be the last big move. Eventually, another big-name receiver near the top of the pecking order will get dealt. Could that be CeeDee Lamb? Taking to X, Cowboys analyst Nick Harris put the wide receiver on the hypothetical trade block, courtesy of Dak Prescott.
Essentially, Harris claimed that Prescott's asking price could be so high that not soon after signing on the dotted line, Jerry Jones would be forced to turn CeeDee Lamb into trade capital.
The move would echo what the Chiefs did in the wake of Patrick Mahomes' blockbuster 10-year deal when they had no choice but to move on from Hill.
Predictably, the move could set off Cowboys Nation after such high expectations for the quarterback and receiver duo. However, his exit would merely be a casualty as a result of the cap.
What could Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb's projected contract extensions look like?
Dak Prescott led the league in passing touchdowns, a spot reserved for the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, and other top quarterbacks. Few of those players who accomplished that allowed themselves to give up a cheap deal. However, that is what many Cowboys fans are hoping for Dak Prescott.
At the same time, CeeDee Lamb had the second-most receiving yards in the NFL last season, trailing only Tyreek Hill. Lamb also scored the second-most touchdowns in the league, trailing only Hill and Mike Evans, who were tied.
As such, it all depends on where Jerry Jones feels comfortable. The way that the negotiation is taking shape right now, one may believe that Jones is aiming to keep the salary as low as possible, even if it leads to another franchise tag situation.
Patrick Mahomes set the market with a ten-year, $450 million deal. However, most quarterbacks get new deals lasting half as long. Considering Jones' slow efforts, it is likely that the quarterback will get a standard four or five-year deal.
Most quarterbacks with the largest contracts hover in the mid-$200 million range, but considering how Dak Prescott earned more passing touchdowns, getting a number close to $285 million might not be too big of a stretch.
As it stands, Prescott is on pace for a five-year, $285 million deal.
As for CeeDee Lamb, the top receivers in the game are earning about $100 million contracts. Lamb, while impressive on the stat sheet, doesn't get that benefit in a bidding war as he is not set to hit the free-agent market.
With no bidding war, his salary could be lower than it otherwise would have been.
That said, one could expect him to get close to a four-year, $95 million deal with either his next team or with the Dallas Cowboys.