CeeDee Lamb (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
CeeDee Lamb came to Cowboys camp with a lot of hype. The talented wide receiver is living up to his reputation on the practice field.
The Cowboys were thrilled when CeeDee Lamb fell to them in the draft, but sometimes wide receivers struggle to adjust immediately to life in the NFL. Fortunately for Mike McCarthy and his coaching staff, Lamb appears to be making a seamless transition.
Reports emanating from the team’s training camp insist that Lamb isn’t playing like a rookie. On the contrary, he’s fitting in with established stars like Amari Cooper and Micheal Gallup during the team’s early work. That bodes well for Lamb’s ability to provide the Cowboys offense with immediate results as a rookie.
The trio of Cooper, Gallup, and Lamb could easily combine to become the NFL’s top wide receiver group in 2020. Cooper’s stellar play in 2019 earned him a massive contract from the Cowboys in free agency. Gallup doesn’t get the same level of attention but he caught 66 passes for 1,107 yards and six touchdowns last season.
What could CeeDee Lamb do for the Cowboys this season?
Lamb figures to step right into the starting slot position as a rookie. He’s overqualified to be the team’s No. 3 option at wide receiver. Opposing defenses will be forced to match-up with him via single coverage on the vast majority of snaps. Double-teaming Cooper, Gallup and Lamb on a single snap just isn’t a practical consideration for opposing defensive coordinators.
Lamb’s ability to run after the catch gives him a chance to be a difference-maker in 2020. Both Cooper and Gallup thrive when they’re given the freedom to attack opposing defenses on intermediate and deep routes. That should free Lamb up to run free on shallow crosses and similar patterns. Dak Prescott should be able to hit Lamb in stride on those routes and give his rookie wideout a chance to turn short throws into long gains.
The key for Lamb at this point is just to keep the momentum going. His progression as a rookie isn’t going to be a straight line. He’ll see his performance ebb and flow as training camp progresses. The fact that he’s already looking like a veteran gives him an excellent chance to help the Cowboys right away. He could be the offensive weapon that takes McCarthy’s offense from good to great in his first season in Dallas.