The Dallas Cowboys are sidelining CeeDee Lamb for the final two games of the season after the 2023 All-Pro wide receiver has been dealing with a sprained right shoulder for the second half of the year.
The team announced on Thursday that further exams showed enough damage to prevent Lamb from playing on Sunday at Philadelphia and in the last game against Washington. The Cowboys stated that surgery would not be needed.
Dallas was officially eliminated from playoff contention a few hours before their 26-24 win over Tampa Bay last weekend.
With Lamb out, the Cowboys will end the regular season with at least five former Pro Bowl players on injured reserve.
Other injured players include quarterback Dak Prescott, who played only eight games before a hamstring tear ended his season, and right guard Zack Martin, who went through 10 games before needing ankle surgery.
Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence has not played since Week 4 due to a foot injury, and cornerback Trevon Diggs played 11 games while battling multiple injuries before a knee injury ended his season.
Lamb hurt his right shoulder when he hit the ground hard twice during a 27-21 loss at Atlanta on November 3. He continued to play and had over 100 yards in his last two games, both wins, before being shut down.
The 25-year-old Lamb missed the entire offseason and preseason due to a contract dispute after setting career highs in catches (135, an NFL best), receiving yards (1,749, a club record), and touchdowns (12) in 2023.
Lamb’s holdout ended in late August with a $136 million, four-year extension, but neither he nor the Cowboys were able to repeat his high production from last season. Dallas (7-8) will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2020, which was also Lamb’s rookie year.
Lamb finishes the season with 101 catches, 1,194 yards, and six touchdowns.
