NFL Rumors: Cowboys look to make CeeDee Lamb top 5 highest paid WR with new deal

Dallas Cowboys star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb could be the next wide receiver to receive a mega-extension. After a career season in 2022, the Dallas Cowboys have shifted their focus on extending the two-time Pro Bowl wideout.

According to The Athletic's Jon Machota, the Cowboys are working on a contract extension with Lamb that could reportedly pay him between $25 million and $30 million per season.

"Update: #Cowboys are projected to sign Pro Bowl WR CeeDee Lamb to a contract worth between $25-$30 Million a year, writes @jonmachota"

Lamb was selected by Dallas in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft as the 20th overall pick. Since his rookie season, he's taken strides in the next two years and has proved that he is one of the best young wideouts.

As a rookie, he caught 74 balls for 935 yards and five touchdowns. In 2021, he recorded 79 catches for 1,102 yards and six touchdowns.

This past season, he had a career year setting personal bests in catches (107) yards (1,359), and touchdowns (10.) He was named to his second straight Pro Bowl this past season while also being named a Second-Team All-Pro.

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Where would CeeDee Lamb's contract rank among the highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL?

CeeDee Lamb during Philadelphia Eagles v Dallas Cowboys

Currently, the top-10 highest-paid wide receivers all average over $20 million per season. 13 wideouts currently average $20 million or more per season, with just four (Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams, Cooper Kupp, A.J. Brown) making an average of $25 million or more per season.

Each of those wideouts has had better career years than Lamb, who will be entering his fourth season in the league. The next four highest-paid wideouts are Stefon Diggs ($24 million) D.K. Metcalf ($24 million) Deebo Samuel ($23.85 million) and Terry McLaurin ($23.2 million.)

Lamb is expected to fall into this range of a new contract with a slim chance of exceeding all of those proven wideouts.

Either way, the Dallas Cowboys will have a lot of business to do contractually in the near future. They franchise tagged running back Tony Pollard, who had the best season of his career in 2022, and they may have to pay him long-term after this season.

Quarterback Dak Prescott is due for a contract extension soon, so a decision will have to made on his future. Dallas also has to extend defensive star Micah Parsons in the next few years, as well as CB Trevon Diggs.