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Dallas Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Cowboys HC: CeeDee Lamb on similar trajectory to ex-Packers All-Pros

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 8/16/23

To say the Dallas Cowboys have high expectations for receiver CeeDee Lamb heading into Year 4 may be a bit of an understatement.

While the former 17th overall pick had his issues with drops early in his career, his percentage of dropped passes has steadily fallen each of the last two seasons, and head coach Mike McCarthy seems to believe Lamb has moved past his struggles and is ready to be mentioned in the conversation among the NFL’s elite WRs.

"I think CeeDee may have had a couple of balls early in the year [2022] that may have gotten away from him, but other than that I never really had any doubts about him,” McCarthy recently told reporters, via the team's website. "I've seen them all go through it. I've seen Jordy [Nelson], Greg Jennings, and Davante Adams. It's a natural progression. It's usually that second year where you go 'oh ok, he has a chance to really be something really special.' I think his climb has been really consistent.”

The more the Cowboys have added to Lamb’s plate, the more he’s risen to the occasion. He’s showcased his versatility on more than once occasion, moving from a slot-heavy role as a rookie (91.2 percent of his snaps), to more of an outside weapon in his second year (62.6 percent of snaps out wide, 37.4 percent in the slot), to a well-balanced receiving threat last season (46.4 percent of snaps outside, 52.7 percent in the slot), per Pro Football Focus.

Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb catches touchdown on corner-post route from slot. pic.twitter.com/lCHDUkTcEp
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) August 10, 2023

"What I learned about CeeDee right away, which is what you look for in wide receiver, is with his [6-foot-2] body type, (is) do they attack the interior routes?" McCarthy added. "That's where the money is at. The fastest way to the end zone is through the post [over the middle of the field]. Fastest way to the end zone is up the seams. His ability to get out there and outside the numbers is great. He has all that."

Lamb has not only seen his production take off (he had 28 more receptions, 257 more yards and three more touchdowns in 2022 than he did the previous year), he’s also racking up more first downs and more yards after the catch, and Cowboys QBs had fewer interceptions and a higher passer rating targeting him in 2022 than they did in 2021.

And his drop percentage, which hovered at 7.2 percent as a rookie, has progressively decreased along the way, falling to just 3.8 percent last season.

“Last year, he was featured a tremendous amount in the pass game,” McCarthy said. “We need to continue to do that, especially now that we have more speed around him [with Brandin Cooks] too. We'll utilize that."