Most teams don’t necessarily need to win in Week 1, but the Dallas Cowboys undoubtedly have the pressure to beat the Cleveland Browns, who made the playoffs last year and have one of the best defenses in the NFL.
While rookie left tackle Tyler Guyton shined in the preseason, he will face reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett on Sunday. It stands to reason that Dak Prescott will be under pressure in this game, so CeeDee Lamb’s presence or absence will be a major factor.
Lamb signed his blockbuster four-year, $136 million extension just last week, giving Lamb about two weeks to prepare for the game after sitting out most of training camp.
One could understand if the Cowboys wanted to be cautious with their superstar receiver, but Lamb rejected the idea of sitting out Week 1 when he signed his contract extension. Yes, Cowboys fans, No. 88 will be there on Sunday.
Lamb was a full participant in the Cowboys’ first practice this week. Not only is Lamb playing, he won’t even be pitching. Despite not having a hit all offseason, Lamb is a full-time pitcher on Sunday, meaning he should hit his typical monster target share.
“Yes, I am ready,” sHelping Lamb play. “Today was definitely one of those days and once again a big compliment to the guys and coaches who supported me really well all week. Of course I knew that I was mentally ready, physically it’s a bit different, but today I was ready.
“It was full contact training with full equipment and we planned the game and incorporated different things so I could compete against the others. It was fun.”
In case there was any doubt about Lamb’s status, the Cowboys activated Lamb from the exempt list to the 53-man roster on Saturday. Dallas also promoted linebacker Nick Vigil from the practice squad.
The Cowboys were smart about dealing Lamb after he signed his contract. Although No. 88 worked out hard during his absence, he was unable to replicate the intensity and physicality of an NFL workout. Not only did Lamb take a beating before he could play in the regular season, he also needed a long warm-up period to avoid a potential soft tissue injury.
It might be a little risky for Lamb to get the full workload against the Browns, but he has insisted since the contract was announced that he will be on the field without restrictions.
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