Where Does CeeDee Lamb Rank Among the Greatest Wide Receivers in Cowboys History?

One of several concerning storylines for the Cowboys this offseason is that star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has not participated in Dallas' voluntary workouts. Lamb's dominance in the past four seasons rivals the success of other legendary Cowboy receivers and prompts the question of how he compares to the greats of the past.

When drafted by Dallas, the organization knew that Lamb was destined for greatness from the start. He was assigned number 88, a legendary number in Cowboys lore reserved for receivers who make their presence known on the field.

Since icon Drew Pearson immortalized 88 in the 70s, only four receivers have shared the number. These players include Michael Irvin, Antonio Bryant, Dez Bryant, and Lamb. Aside from Antonio Bryant, who had a somewhat disappointing and underwhelming tenure in Dallas, the players who have worn 88 have had exceptional careers and were arguably the best receivers in the league during their primes.

When comparing CeeDee to Dallas receivers of the past, his stats speak for themselves. In his first four years with the Cowboys, he has almost 1,000 more receiving yards than Dez Bryant had in his four years, and over 1,000 more yards than Irvin and Pearson did in the first four years of their careers.

Compared to the other members of the 88 club, Lamb has the second-most touchdowns in his first four years, trailing only behind Dez. Though stats only provide some of the picture, they prove that Lamb is currently on track to be a Cowboys great and potentially another member of the Ring of Honor.

Another factor that solidifies Lamb as one of the most dominant receivers in Cowboys history is the astounding season he is coming off. In his breakout campaign, Lamb had a career-highs of 1,749 receiving yards and 12 touchdown receptions.

The other four members of the 88 club have never come reasonably close to getting over 1,700 yards in a regular season, while only Dez has had more than 12 touchdown receptions in a regular season (16 in 2014).

The trajectory of Lamb's career, pointing towards him becoming a Cowboys great and potentially one of the greatest wide receivers in NFL history, should serve as a beacon of hope for Dallas' front office.

This should motivate them to secure a deal with Lamb before the team heads out to California for training camp, which is just a few months away. The hope is that Dallas can swiftly negotiate a deal with Lamb, allowing him to further establish himself as a modern-day Cowboy legend and potentially the greatest to wear 88 when all is said and done.

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