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NFL Rumors: Cowboys' Lamb, Vikings' Jefferson Skip Workouts amid Contract Talks

zach bachar

A pair of the NFL's top wide receivers decided not to show up at voluntary workouts on Monday in the midst of contract talks.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, CeeDee Lamb of the Dallas Cowboys and Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings were not present at the facilities of their respective teams.

Both players are set to hit free agency in 2025 and will attempt to work out long-term contracts in order to stay with their organizations.

Lamb will be playing on a fifth-year option worth $17.991 million in 2024, per Spotrac. Rapoport noted that it "doesn't seem like there's been much traction" on long-term contract talks between Lamb and the Cowboys, meaning that he will likely stay away from the team until the situation is resolved.

The 25-year-old is coming off a career year, as he led all NFL players with 135 receptions. He also racked up 1,749 yards, finding the end zone 12 times.

As for Jefferson, he has a base salary of $19.743 million in 2024 after the Vikings exercised his fifth-year option back in 2023 (via Spotrac). The 24-year-old skipped voluntary workouts in 2023 as well, although he showed up for the team's mandatory minicamp.

Jefferson and the Vikings nearly reached an agreement prior to the 2023 season, although a deal never finalized. That may not be the case in 2024, as general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah told reporters at the scouting combine that the former first-round pick "should be compensated" as the best receiver in the league.

"We think he's the best wide receiver in the league and should be compensated as such," Adofo-Mensah said, per ESPN's Kevin Seifert. "We think he's the one of the best non-quarterbacks in the league, and think he should be compensated as such. We'll continue to have those dialogues and conversations."

After the Philadelphia Eagles signed wide receiver DeVonta Smith to a three-year extension worth $75 million on Monday, there may be more pressure on the Vikings and Cowboys to finalize long-term contracts with their top wideouts.

   

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