After having his fifth-year option picked up by the Dallas Cowboys in April, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is not concerned about contract extension talks surrounding him heading into the 2023 season.
"Quite honestly, I'll be 100-percent honest, I'm not even distracted," Lamb said, via the team’s official site. "The money, definitely worried about it, but it's not something that's on my mind every day or when I come to the building. I'm not thinking about how much money I'm gonna make if I do this. It's really all about coming in, showing my worth, and letting everything else handle itself."
Lamb, the 17th overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft, joined Dallas playing a No. 2 WR role in his rookie season behind Amari Cooper. During the 2021 campaign, Lamb led the team in receptions and receiving yards, then assumed the Cowboys' WR1 role last season after Dallas traded Cooper to Cleveland.
Through his first three seasons, Lamb has 260 receptions, 3,346 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns for Dallas. The 24-year-old WR has also earned two Pro Bowl honors. Entering his fourth season in 2023, Lamb shared his goal of going beyond being the No. 1 wide receiver in Dallas.
"Being a better leader, whether that's for my position group or for my team," he said. "Obviously being the one that can be counted on when the game is on the line. I've always had help, but it's instilled now. Then at the point of attack, we're gonna come at you, we're gonna be aggressive. We'll do the best versus the best and let the best man win."
During the offseason, the Cowboys changed their offense by parting ways with Ezekiel Elliott and seeing Dalton Schultz sign with the Houston Texans. As a result, the team will need to find new players to fill the 112 targets that went to Elliott and Schultz last season. To help with this, the Cowboys traded for veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks, who's expected to take on the role of WR2 in Dallas. The team's other pass catchers include notable players such as Michael Gallup, Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin.
Lamb is aware that extension talks will follow him until a deal gets done, but he acknowledged that he's letting his agent handle that part of the business.
"That's for my agent," he said. "I'm trying to play. That's what I'm here to do and that's what I love to do."
