The Cowboys recently extended wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to a four-year, $136M deal that gave him the second-highest annual average at the position in the NFL behind only Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson. It wasn’t smooth sailing to get there, though, as the negotiating process saw Lamb miss nearly all of the preseason as he held out to influence his new contract.
As a result of Lamb’s holdout, the Cowboys placed him on the commissioner’s exempt list upon signing his extension. This exempt list is usually reserved for players in unique situations, allowing a team to retain that player without needing to use a roster spot on them.
For Lamb, his placement was the result of his holdout. Dallas was granted a two-game roster exemption with his placement on the list, meaning the Cowboys could keep him there through Week 3, if necessary, without him counting toward their 53-man roster. This would allow Lamb to get back up to speed after not participating with the team throughout training camp and the preseason. Instead, the Cowboys will waste no time, activating him from the exempt list in time for Week 1, according to a team announcement.
In addition to this roster addition, Dallas has also opted to promote linebacker Nick Vigil as a standard game-day practice-squad elevation. A former full-time starter for the Bengals, Vigil’s role in the NFL has diminished over the years. If he sees game action on Sunday, it will be a regular-season appearance with the fifth team of his career.