Cowboys' rival Darius Slay has his say on $136,000,000 CeeDee Lamb contract

The Dallas Cowboys are going through a very important moment for the future of the franchise, with their star players coming up for contract extension. The first piece is done.

CeeDee Lamb signed a four-year, $136 million contract extension, with $100 million guaranteed, for an average of $34 million per year, the second highest in the league at the position.

At 25 years of age, Lamb is signing a contract that's close to perfect: he has the recognition he deserves for his status at the position and, more importantly, the length of time allows him to sign a new big, long-term contract when his current contract expires.

The deal was expected to happen before the season officially started, and even the rivals had to acknowledge that this was well-deserved for the wide receiver. Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay, who often is tasked with covering Lamb, praised the receiver on his Twitter account:

As the Cowboys lock up one of their core pieces for the future, the team has shifted back to a positive mood. EDGE rusher Micah Parsons, one of the two superstars remaining who are looking for an extension, praised the defense and how this could be a special year for the franchise:

Lamb, Cowboys: a deal done and a crisis averted

This was one of those contract controversies where everyone knew how it was going to end. CeeDee Lamb's case was pretty straightforward: everyone knew he was going to need to be paid, he knew how much he was worth, and the Cowboys knew how important he was. There was no need for trade rumors, discussions about the player's importance, or any other fuss.

Lamb didn't show up for training camp, but he (and Brandon Aiyuk, too, although he reported it) knew that this was an effective method of putting pressure. Since he was still on his rookie contract, the fines for days he didn't show up aren't mandatory, going back to that classic case from last decade where the team pretended to fine a player and then rescinded the punishment when the situation was resolved.

With an average of $34 million, Lamb outperforms everyone not named Justin Jefferson, from the same draft class and established as the best wide receiver in the league. It's a pretty fair amount, and one that Dallas knew it would have to pay.