Dallas Cowboys: CeeDee Lamb is the new deep ball threat in Dallas

Don’t look now but there’s a new deep ball threat in Dallas these days. The Dallas Cowboys top pick in the 2020 NFL Draft has been turning heads since he entered the league. From his spectacular catches, to his silky movement in and out of cuts, to his extraordinary ball tracking skills, CeeDee Lamb represents the next generation of elite WRs.

But something he hasn’t earned enough praise for is his ability to serve as a deep threat. Even though Lamb lacks elite deep speed, he’s quickly establishing himself as a legit deep threat.

CeeDee Lamb should be the Dallas Cowboys top deep threat in 2021

I know what you’re thinking: Amari Cooper is the WR1 and he has the track record for breaking free and producing big plays. And Michael Gallup is a 9-route monster, who’s building a reputation for his spectacular deep catches down the sideline.

And I wouldn’t argue with any of that. Those two are great deep ball receivers. I just think Lamb is better…

As the chart above illustrates, CeeDee Lamb was arguably the top deep ball receiver in the NFL last year. Sure, plenty of other receivers had more opportunities, but none of them produced the catch rate that Lamb did. Tyreek Hill may be the best deep threat in the NFL, but his catch rate pales in comparison to Lamb’s.

Now take a moment to think about who was throwing those balls to Lamb. Three different QBs filled in for Dak Prescott last year so it’s safe to say from Week 6 to Week 17, CeeDee Lamb had to catch some pretty ugly balls.

Lamb’s ability to track, adjust, and high-point balls, makes him an elite deep option. Just think about what he can accomplish with Dak Prescott all season. Keep in mind, as a rookie, he was on pace for 1,300 yards before Dak went down. And looking at his play in training camp this year, Lamb is a far better WR than he was last year.

Working in the slot, opportunities aren’t always there for deep routes. His 877 yards from the slot were second only to Cole Beasley last year. Perhaps that’s why the Dallas Cowboys are planning to move him around and not have him tethered inside this season. Given Amari Cooper’s route-running ability, he could dominate inside if given more opportunities (Admittedly, I’ve been begging for Coop in the slot for years now).

CeeDee Lamb’s deep ball skills shouldn’t really come as a surprise. In his three years at Oklahoma, Lamb was targeted 58 times deep (20+ yards downfield) and dropped exactly zero of them. Let that sink in.

CeeDee Lamb isn’t just a great slot receiver, or a great possession receiver, or a great contested ball receiver, he’s also a great deep ball receiver. The guy has everything. Buckle up Cowboys fans.