Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay took a jab at the Dallas Cowboys and owner Jerry Jones for their handling of CeeDee Lamb.
Lamb is currently holding out for a new deal. He’s missed training camp and the Cowboys’ first preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams.
Lamb is seeking an extension that would put him on par with some of the top receivers in the league. And he has earned it. Lamb is coming off a historic campaign, notching a league-high 135 receptions for 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns. Lamb’s catches and yards were both franchise records.
Slay doesn’t agree with how the Cowboys have handled the situation and voiced his take on his podcast, “Big Play Slay.”
“It would be hard for me to play for an organization like that,” Slay said on Tuesday, August 13. “A guy that’s just not willing to take care of his guys.”
Slay also took the opportunity to praise his general manager, Howie Roseman.
“I know y’all see how Howie gets stuff done,” Slay said. “You can see when a team and an organization that appreciates what you do for their team. They take care of you.”
Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones Clarifies Lamb Comments
Jerry Jones’ handling of the contract standoff with Lamb has been unconventional, to say the least. He made headlines for saying that he wasn’t “urgent” about resolving the situation, later having to clarify what he meant.
“The bottom line is … no, there’s not that urgency,” Jones said prior to the Cowboys’ first preseason game against the Rams on August 11. “Now, I understand completely the angst that’s happening when you’re anxious and someone says anything about whether you’re missed or not. Well, CeeDee, you’re missed, OK? But you’re not missed out here competing, and it doesn’t put any pressure, anyplace on us. It’s not pressure out here today and in practice.”
Slay said jokingly that if Lamb truly wanted to prove a point, he could sit out the games against the Eagles this season.
“Hold out each Eagle game,” Slay said. “You can play everybody else, just hold out each Eagle game. Just say, ‘I’m holding out against the Eagles,’ because I know Jerry cares about that game a lot. He doesn’t like losing to us.”
Cowboys Talks ‘Ongoing’ With CeeDee Lamb
The goal for the Cowboys is to get Lamb into camp and ready to roll before Week 1. But the sides are still “not close” to reaching an agreement, per Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The Cowboys’ best offer has yet to reach $33 million per year, per Hill.
Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones provided an update on the team’s current position in the negotiations with Lamb, as well as defensive star Micah Parsons, and quarterback Dak Prescott.
“Ongoing. They’re evolving. I know everybody likes them to be done immediately. As I said it’s a challenge for us,” Jones told Nick Eatman of the Cowboys’ official site. “In terms of working three of the better football players in this league. Trying to get them in a situation where they’re happy and it works for us as well. We’ll continue to work, pencils are up, we’re working hard at it. Hopefully we’ll continue to make some progress and get one or two of these guys done.”
The Cowboys open the regular season on September 8 on the road against the Cleveland Browns.
