The Dallas Cowboys have been one of the least active teams throughout the offseason. They haven’t given out any major contracts, they have seen key players on the roster leave town and they still haven’t dished out any mega extensions to some of their key players.
Meanwhile, their division rival Philadelphia Eagles has made plenty of moves this offseason to improve the roster. It continued on April 15, when the Eagles and WR DeVonta Smith agreed to a three-year, $75 million extension with $51 million guaranteed.
That huge contract is going to make things a lot harder for the Cowboys.
The #Eagles have paid another big-time, rising player. This time, WR DeVonta Smith gets a 3-year, $75M contract extension that includes $51M guaranteed, sources say.
The deal was done by @kelt_crenshaw of @KlutchSports, and it keeps Smith in PHI for years to come. 💰 💰 💰 pic.twitter.com/hsBXWx30MH
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 15, 2024
The Eagles have taken care of a key member of their offense while the Cowboys have been sitting back watching. Dallas has their own playmaker they need to take off in WR CeeDee Lamb.
Lamb is up for an extension after four years in the NFL and wants to cash in. The Cowboys have opened up their voluntary offseason workouts on April 15 and the three-time Pro Bowler won’t be in attendance. Per ESPN Adam Schefter, Lamb isn’t expected to be in the facility for the voluntary workouts as he waits for a new contract.
Lamb wants to be one of the highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL, and a deal like Smith’s is only going to drive up the asking price.
Prior to Smith’s deal, only four wide receivers in the NFL made an average of more than $25 million per season. This contract doesn’t change the absolute top of the market (Tyreek Hill is still No. 1 at $30 million per year), but when a guy like Smith who is good but may not even be a top-10 wideout yet get $25 million per, Lamb’s agents get some serious ammunition for negotiations.
Jerry Jones and the Cowboys are going to have their hands full with Lamb, Dak Prescott and Micah Parsons’ futures all in flux, and it really stings to see a division rival making things even harder.
