SOUTHLAKE — Despite both dealing with unresolved contract negotiations, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said he and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb are preparing to hit the ground running in the 2024 season.
“Excited as ever,” Prescott said at his youth camp at Southlake Carroll High School on Tuesday morning. “I had a great offseason. I am excited to get going here in the next couple of days, going on my trip with my receivers and tight ends. Just getting back with them and getting some work in. That will only expedite my excitement and our process to make sure when we hit [training] camp that we are rolling.”
Prescott said he has trained with Lamb this offseason, and the plan is for the receiver to join him for his pre-camp trip. Training camp itself could be another matter.
Lamb skipped the Cowboys’ offseason program, including the mandatory minicamp, as he seeks a new contract. It’s unknown if he’ll report to camp with the rest of the team when practices begin July 25. The receiver enters the fifth-year option of his rookie contract with a base salary of $17.9 million.
Despite the contract impasse, Prescott said he has thrown countless passes to Lamb this offseason. Prescott has a custom 50-yard football field in his backyard, built by the same company the Cowboys used to install their fields at AT&T Stadium.
“I can’t necessarily count them, so a good amount,” Prescott said about his offseason passes to Lamb. “CeeDee is going to be ready. A player like that, an athlete like that, he makes my job easier. As long as he is training, trust me, we will be just fine. I am excited for it.”
Photos surfaced last week of Prescott wearing a walking boot while in Cabo San Lucas; however, Prescott said Tuesday the boot was precautionary, the product of getting older.
As he focuses on getting game-ready, Prescott said he is letting his agent handle the business aspect of his career. He’s entering the final year of a four-year contract with a base salary of $29 million for the 2024 season and a salary cap hit of $55.4 million.
“There’s been conversations back-and-forth, but for the most part, I let my agent do that, especially as we get right here into training camp,” Prescott said. “Day 1 of training camp, my mind flips to just helping my team and doing everything I can within the organization and on the football field to make sure I am my best and everyone around me is their best. The money and all that will take care of itself, as it always has.”
Last season, Prescott led the NFL in completions (410) and touchdown passes (36) while leading the Cowboys to an NFC East division title. Prescott, who also threw for 4,516 yards, the second-most in his career, was runner-up in the 2023 MVP voting to Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Lamb led the league in receptions (135) last season. He was second in receiving yards (1,749) and third in touchdowns (12), the best year of his professional career.
Cowboys officials have said they hope to extend Prescott and Lamb, but contract talks haven’t progressed. There’s an expectation negotiations could increase as the Cowboys get closer to the start of training camp.
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