CeeDee Lamb’s already rubbing shoulders with all-time Cowboys receivers

In just four seasons, CeeDee Lamb has skyrocketed up the all-time receiving lists for the Dallas Cowboys.

It hasn’t taken CeeDee Lamb long to post some remarkable career numbers with the Dallas Cowboys. In just half the time of some franchise legends, if not less, Lamb has already closed in on them statistically and could quickly pass them if he gets his much-discussed contract extension.

The big three categories for receivers are receptions, yards, and touchdowns. In two of those, catches (6.0) and yards (78.0), Lamb has the highest per-game averages of any receiver in team history. It’s no wonder that he’s been able to climb the all-time lists so quickly in such a short time. Even with two years spent losing targets to Amari Cooper, Lamb’s still managed a meteoric rise.

Of course, we have to consider eras and other circumstances in any discussion that encompasses all points in team history. Lamb is naturally going to get more targets now than Drew Pearson or Bob Hayes did in their days. He hasn’t had Emmitt Smith dominating the ball, or even prime Ezekiel Elliott, to pull touches away from the passing game. You have to take these factors into account when talking pure numbers.

Let’s dig a little more into each statistic and see where Lamb stands compared to his predecessors. What potential milestones lie ahead this year, and what could he accomplish if his time in Dallas extends beyond 2024?

Receptions

1. Jason Witten 1,215
2. Michael Irvin 750
3. Dez Bryant 531
4. Drew Pearson 489
5. Emmitt Smith 486
6. Tony Hill 479
7. CeeDee Lamb 395

It’s only taken Lamb 66 games to move in on this group. That’s almost half of Dez Bryant’s 113 games with Dallas and less than half of anyone else. Since becoming the Cowboys’ clear WR1 in 2022, Lamb has had 107 and 135 catches in each of the last two seasons.

If he just breaks 100 again this year, which is a safe bet if he plays in 16-17 games, Lamb will move from seventh to fourth. While it will be hard for him to top the 135 catches from last season, a few more could even threaten Bryant’s position in third place. He’d still need a few more years to reach Irvin after that and then exceptional longevity to even sniff Witten.

The impressive thing here is how immediately impactful and reliable Lamb has been so far. He’s never missed a game, moved right into the primary WR rotation as a rookie, and has led the team in targets for the last three seasons. Arguably no receiver in team history has been as good from Day 1 as Lamb.

Yards

1. Jason Witten 12,977
2. Michael Irvin 11,904
3. Tony Hill 7,988
4. Drew Pearson 7,822
5. Dez Bryant 7,459
6. Bob Hayes 7,295
7. Frank Clarke 5,214
8. CeeDee Lamb 5,145

You can see the stylistic difference in 60s and 70s football to later eras from this list. Despite fewer catches, guys like Clarke, Hayes, Hill, and Pearson still amassed big yardage because of less short-game passing and more deep balls. But Bryant and Lamb’s volume of catches still has them right in the mix.

Lamb probably passes Clarke in Week 1, needing only 70 yards. But even if he matches the 1,749 yards he caught for last season, Lamb would still be looking up at the top six. But if he does stay in Dallas beyond this year, Lamb could again be behind just Witten and Irvin in this category by the end of 2025.

Touchdowns

1. Dez Bryant 73
2. Jason Witten 72
3. Bob Hayes 71
4. Michael Irvin 65
5. Tony Hill 51
6. Frank Clarke 50
7. Drew Pearson 48
8. Billy Joe DuPree 41
9. Terrell Owens 38
10. Miles Austin 34
11. CeeDee Lamb 32

A career-high 12 touchdown catches in 2023 helped Lamb get just outside the top 10. He’ll likely pass Dupree for the eighth spot this season, but it will take time for him to get among the leaders.

Interestingly, this is one area where Witten and Irvin haven’t blown away their peers. Dez Bryant is the top dog with his 73 career touchdowns, but only edging out Witten and Bob Hayes by a couple. That means if Lamb can just put together a few more double-digit scoring seasons, he could pass everyone on this list in the next four years.

Lamb would likely be higher on this list already if not for spending 2020-2022 with Ezekiel Elliott eating up touchdowns. It’s no coincidence that Zeke’s first year out of Dallas was also Lamb’s career high in touchdowns, and that trend is likely to continue this season given the Cowboys’ concerns at running back and on the offensive line.

While we’re here, a quick shout-out to Terrell Owens. In only three seasons with Dallas, Owens put up some incredible numbers. Averaging roughly 12.5 touchdowns per year during his brief stint was his most impressive work. He never gets mentioned due to his short tenure and our focus on the “88 Club,” but Owens just might have been the most talented WR in Cowboys history.

While it’s still early to make any definitive statements about CeeDee Lamb’s place in franchise history, there’s denying that he’s off to an all-time start. His overall productivity has been second to none, and he’s on the verge of making huge moves up the leaderboards in just the next few seasons. Indeed, it seems the only thing that could stop Lamb now is if he somehow winds up in another uniform.