The Dallas Cowboys are in full swing as they enter the third phase of the OTAs. As the OTAs continue, a few players missed practice on Tuesday, and one of them was star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb.

"Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb is not here today for OTAs. He has an excused absence," Jon Machota of The Athletic reported June 9.

Lamb missed OTAs for personal reasons. His absence was nothing related to any injury.

There isn't a reason to worry as Lamb is already on a four-year, $136 million contract that he signed in 2024. So, the reason for non-attendance is not a holdout.

Plus, he was present for practice on June 4, where he talked about the Cowboys' defense picking up pace.

“It’s annoying. It’s been annoying to prepare against. But obviously seeing it in practice every day, it’s kind of unique. Just seeing the different guys communicate and be able to understand and take what they learn from the meeting room and being able to easily translate it on the field. It’s good to go against. It’s very tricky,” Lamb told The Athletic.

The star wide receiver is focused on preparing for the 2026 season. But while Lamb's absence was not contract or injury-related, Dallas continues to deal with several other player absences as minicamp approaches. 

CeeDee Lamb Sits Out OTAs, but Dallas Faces Bigger Health Questions Elsewhere 

Apart from Lamb, several players missed the OTAs.

Defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku (personal reasons), offensive lineman Matt Hennessy (neck surgery), safety Jalen Thompson (pectoral strain), wide receiver Jonathan Mingo (groin) and cornerback DaRon Bland (foot) also missed the session.

Neither Lamb's nor Ezeiruaku's absence is expected to be a concern, as both are expected to be back before training camp. 

On the other hand, the Cowboys will look to monitor Thompson’s case, as the team is extra cautious with him this early in the summer.

With several players returning from injury, it will be interesting to see whether Dak Prescott's offense can build on last season's production. 

The Cowboys fielded one of the most explosive offenses in the entire league. Despite finishing with a 7–9–1 overall record due to defensive struggles, the offensive unit statistically dominated several league categories.

With key upgrades in place and Lamb noting that the defense is already pushing the offense to its limits, the pieces are there for another explosive year.

Still, plenty of work remains for Brian Schottenheimer's unit to lock things in before mandatory minicamp arrives on June 16. What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Evince Das

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore