“Beach workouts don’t win championships.” That’s the unspoken message as CeeDee Lamb‘s potential return to the Dallas Cowboys sparks concern among fans and experts alike. The star wide receiver’s absence from training camp has been a hot topic, but his comeback might be more worrisome than his holdout.

Former NFL head coach Eric Mangini voiced his apprehension on the First Things First podcast today. “If it’s that close [to the season], you’re going to be worried about how good a shape he is in,” Mangini cautioned. The ex-coach’s words carry weight, especially considering Lamb’s recent beach training videos that have been circulating on social media. “it’s hard to simulate having the helmet on and having the pads on being hit again and you’re going to be so excited to play him you know as much as you can and he’s going to be excited to justify the money,” Mangini added.

While Lamb’s trainer, Delfonte Diamond, showcased the receiver working on his speed and agility in deep sand, questions linger about how well these workouts translate to on-field performance. Greg Jennings, a former NFL wide receiver, echoed these concerns: “I’ve never met a player… who has in the off-season taken a practice schedule or a training camp schedule and their pads and helmets and said, ‘You know what, let me go and simulate what it’s going to look like when I get back.'”

The stakes are high for Lamb, who’s coming off a career year with 135 receptions, 1,749 yards, and 12 touchdowns. His absence from team activities has been notable, with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones attempting to downplay concerns by citing Lamb’s offseason work with quarterback Dak Prescott. “They spent a lot of time,” Jones stated on July 29, perhaps more hopeful than confident.

However, the transition from beach to gridiron isn’t always smooth sailing. Mangini warned of the risks: “What you don’t want to do is you go in, you play him a lot, and then he gets some sort of soft tissue injury.” This scenario could be disastrous for the Cowboys, who open their season against the Cleveland Browns on September 8. As the clock ticks down, the question remains: Will Lamb be ready to make waves or find himself beached on the sidelines?

McCarthy’s Micah dilemma

While Lamb’s return dominates headlines, another storyline simmers beneath the surface. Micah Parsons, the Cowboys’ defensive dynamo, has been making bold predictions about the team’s defense under new coordinator Mike Zimmer. Head coach Mike McCarthy finds himself in a precarious position, needing to manage expectations without dampening the team’s spirits.

Parsons’ excitement is palpable. “I think it’s going to be a very interesting year,” he declared earlier this month, hinting at an expanded role in Zimmer’s scheme. McCarthy, for his part, has praised Parsons’ versatility, noting, “The way Mike Zimmer and that defensive staff are using him is going to be a really good challenge for us.”

The wisdom of tempering expectations becomes clear when considering the broader context. The Cowboys’ linebacker corps ranks just 25th in the league according to ESPN analyst Mike Clay, despite Parsons’ brilliance.

As training camp progresses, McCarthy’s challenge will be to harness Parsons’ enthusiasm while maintaining a realistic outlook. The Cowboys may need to ignore Parsons’ guarantees and focus on the careful integration of both Lamb and Parsons into their respective roles. After all, in the NFL, actions speak louder than words – even when those words come from players as electrifying as CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons.