The Dallas Cowboys’ offense was playing at a supremely high level during the first six games of the 2021 season. They averaged 34.1 points and 460.8 yards over that span and the team posted a 5-1 record. One of the biggest beneficiaries was wide receiver CeeDee Lamb who racked up two 100-yard performances and four receiving touchdowns during that period which included a walk-off game-winner against the New England Patriots in Week 6.
Lamb would only score two touchdowns and reached the 100-yard plateau just one more time over his final 10 games. Most notably, Lamb only had five targets and one reception in the Cowboys’ wild-card round loss to the San Francisco 49ers, which was heavily criticized by Hall of Famer Troy Aikman. That was the culmination of the Cowboys’ inconsistency on offense over the last few months of the season, although they did have a couple of big-time performances sprinkled in. When asked what happened to the Cowboys’ offense down the stretch, Lamb said they didn’t continue what worked at the beginning of the season.
“I just feel like we got away from what we originally started the first 7-8 games,” said Lamb. “When we popped out 6-1, we were very aggressive. … I felt like in the middle of the season we slightly got away from it.”
The former Oklahoma Sooner led the Cowboys in receptions (79), yards (1,102), and yards per catch (13.9) and finished second in receiving touchdowns with six. While those are respectable numbers, if the aggression and consistency in the Cowboys’ offense didn’t falter this season, there’s no telling what Lamb’s production could have been.
The Cowboys have been in offseason mode for about a month and they have some big decisions to make on their multitude of free agents set to hit the open market in March. One potential major departure from the roster isn’t even a free agent though.
Amari Cooper, the team’s top option in the passing game, could be a cap casualty or trade piece due to his $20 million a year salary. Dallas would save $16 million if he’s released or traded, but they could also save up to $12.7 million with a restructure.
The rumblings of Cooper leaving have been running rampant. Lamb has heard the noise but hasn’t bought into the notion it’s a foregone conclusion.
“Honestly, I have no clue about what’s going on right now,” Lamb said. “I’m kinda confused about these (outside) talks. They say a lot of people are leaving. … You never know, what if we get the band back together?”
In a perfect world, the Cowboys would restructure Cooper and keep him alongside Lamb for at least a few more seasons. Cooper has made it known he wants to stay in Dallas, and even stated in December that he had never been on a team like the 2021 version of the Cowboys. That doesn’t mean he’ll be back but it also doesn’t mean he won’t.
With Michael Gallup a pending free agent and coming off a late-season torn ACL, it’s possible the dynamic trio of targets may never hit the field together again.
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