Dallas Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb on Dak Prescott: ‘Cannot wait to have him back’

Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb says he prefers to “stay in the shadows as of right now.” 

Sure, his 935 receiving yards and five touchdowns this season place him more squarely in the limelight. But Lamb isn’t trying to hide on the field so much as he’s aiming to defer respectfully to members of the Cowboys organization regarding matters of contract negotiations … like, the protracted negotiation of a long-term deal with quarterback Dak Prescott.

On second thought, Lamb does have a few words on the matter.

“It’s no secret we want Dak back,” Lamb told USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday. “I trust that the guys in the office are definitely going to make the right decision. They know how much Dak means to us and how much we lean on him.

“I cannot wait to have him back.”

Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb with one of the best touchdown catches of the NFL season. (Photo: Brad Rempel/USA TODAY Sports)

MORE: From home school to handshakes, Super Bowl 55 families got creative to ward off COVID-19

SUPER BOWL 55 PROTOCOLS: What happens if Chiefs, Buccaneers get COVID-19?

The Cowboys and Prescott both publicly maintain their desire to strike a long-term deal. That desire wasn’t sufficient to surmount impasses each of the last two offseasons, which led to Prescott playing out the final year of his rookie contract in 2019 and then signing a $31.4 million franchise tag in 2020.

This season arguably only complicated the negotiations. Prescott opened with the most productive performance of his career, averaging 371.2 passing yards a game as he threw for 1,856 yards and nine touchdowns to four interceptions. He notched four more touchdowns and 104 total yards rushing and receiving.

Then, a third-quarter designed run against the Giants in Week 5 went awry. Prescott fell awkwardly when tackled, suffering a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle. He was rushed to a local hospital for immediate surgery. The Cowboys wouldn’t win another game for 42 days, ultimately finishing 6-10.

Lamb is encouraged by Prescott’s recovery.

“He came back from his second surgery about two months ago so he’s walking around, rehabbing, doing everything right,” Lamb said Wednesday, while speaking about how his Sleep Number 360 smart bed improved his own health and performance during his rookie year. “It’s great to see, especially when you seen him go down. You saw the look in his eyes and you saw how sad he was and how much this game meant to him.

“Just to see him smiling again, happy again, being with his guys is a great deal.”

Despite the limited time shared before Prescott’s injury, Lamb marveled at the veteran’s knowledge. Prescott texted Lamb last summer, months after the Cowboys selected Lamb 17th overall, inviting the rookie over for a backyard workout on his newly installed turf. Lamb called the moment he received Prescott’s text invitation “surreal.” His sense of awe only expanded when he actually ran routes with his new signal caller.

“First day he kind of caught me by surprise with his arm strength,” Lamb said. “He knows the little nuances of the game to be better. He makes it easy to follow him, if you will.

“He’s a great leader and ultimately a winner.”

Lamb takes pride in how the team fought through the season after Prescott’s injury, struggling mightily in a midseason stretch before winning three straight in December. The late-season surge kept alive Dallas’ playoff chances in a weak NFC East until a 23-19 Jan. 3 loss at the Giants officially eliminated the Cowboys.

Now, Lamb's offseason work includes teaming with Sleep Number to provide healthcare workers with new Sleep Number 360 smart beds.

Lamb believes the team’s improved resilience to adversity late in the season will bode well for 2021, as will increasing familiarity with head coach Mike McCarthy entering his second year. But the question of quarterback looms large. Lamb hopes Prescott is the answer.

“I hope he’s coming back 2021 and for the long haul,” Lamb said. “I’m excited.”

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Jori Epstein on Twitter @JoriEpstein.

Source: Read Full Article