“CeeDee is the offense,” declared former NFL wide receiver James Jones this week on SPEAK, adding fuel to the Texas-sized showdown between the Dallas Cowboys and their star wideout. As the clock ticks down to kickoff against the Las Vegas Raiders, Jerry Jones is playing a high-stakes game of contract poker that’d make even the coolest card shark in Vegas sweat.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, speaking on @1053thefan, casually dismissed concerns about CeeDee Lamb’s contract situation: “We’re having the same kind of talks we’ve been having. … (I’m) not worried about a target date (for the contract), not worried about his shape. Glad he’s not out here risking some injury tonight.” It’s classic Jones – cool as a cucumber while the rest of Cowboys Nation frets.

But here’s the kicker – Jones seems almost relieved Lamb’s not suiting up. This preseason game against the Raiders, kicking off Saturday at 10 p.m. ET on NFL Network, has suddenly become a proving ground for Dallas’ receiving corps. It’s like Jones is saying, “Show me whatcha got, boys!”

The latest update on contract negotiations? According to CBS Sports, the Cowboys have offered Lamb “slightly under $33 million per season.” That’d make him the second-highest-paid receiver in the NFL, sandwiched between Eagles’ A.J. Brown ($32 million APY) and Vikings’ Justin Jefferson ($35 million APY). Not too shabby for a guy who broke Michael Irvin’s single-season Cowboys record with 135 catches and 1,749 receiving yards last year.

But Lamb’s not biting – at least not yet. He’s been MIA throughout the offseason program, including training camp. It’s a page straight out of Ezekiel Elliott’s 2019 playbook, which ended with a $90 million payday. As Emmanuel Acho put it on SPEAK this week, “The Cowboys have already rewarded bad behavior, if you will, once when they did that with Ezekiel Elliott.”

Cowboys legend Jimmy Johnson, speaking on The Herd yesterday, painted a picture of Jerry Jones caught in a Texas-sized bind. “He’s really in a bind,” Johnson mused, explaining that Jones is juggling contract negotiations for three Cowboys stars who each want to be the highest-paid player at their position. It’s like trying to fit three ten-gallon hats on one head – something’s gotta give.

Spinning Ceedee Lamb’s absence into gold

Speaking on the Cowboys pregame show, Jones dropped another bombshell about Lamb’s contract situation. “You have to get together on a number. He doesn’t know a number. We have to get that done,” Jones said, effectively placing the ball in Lamb’s court. But then came the curveball: “It has been a great opportunity to see these young receivers step up. So all in all this is not bad.”

This isn’t just about Lamb – it’s a chess game with far-reaching implications. Dak Prescott, the $40 million man under center, seems to be playing for Team CeeDee. “He’s wanting to get back, ready to get back, hoping this thing gets done for him. I know I am as well,” Prescott told reporters last week, contradicting Jones’s “no urgency” stance faster than a Tony Romo audible.

Meanwhile, linebacker Micah Parsons is playing peacemaker, assuring fans that Lamb’s keeping tabs on the team. “CeeDee checked in on me,” Parsons revealed this week. “He’s been watching the practice film and telling me, ‘You’re going crazy.'” Parsons even guaranteed Lamb’s Week 1 appearance, stating, “On Week 1, he will be suiting up for the Dallas Cowboys.”

As the Cowboys gear up to face the Raiders’ defense that surrendered the fewest total yards per game (270.2) since the 2014 “Legion of Boom” Seahawks, Jones’s strategy is clear – use Lamb’s absence as leverage while showcasing the team’s depth. It’s a gambit that could pay off big or backfire spectacularly.

In the end, this standoff is more than just about dollars and cents – it’s about the heart and soul of America’s team. As Elliott wisely noted, “It’s really tough, because you go through your first three to four years and you guys are on the same side. This is the first time that now you’re kind of going against each other.”

Will Jerry Jones’s contract tango lead to a grand finale, or will it leave Cowboys fans singing the blues?