The NFL lockout of 2010 brought about significant change to the league and it’s landscape. Not only did the owners collude against Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys, fining them for taking advantage of the no-salary-cap year, but they curtailed the rookie salary explosion with the implementation of the rookie wage scale.
Rookie salaries were capped in 2020 and the length of contracts was limited to four seasons with the 2021 CBA. With that limit came the fifth-year option; a team option that allowed clubs to have a right of first refusal to keep first-round picks in house for an additional year before the player got access to the franchise and transition tag amounts. Players have to be in the league for at least three years before they can negotiate an extension but if that isn’t reached by the Monday after the draft, teams can exact the option. That’s the fate that appears to be coming for wideout CeeDee Lamb.