Justin Jefferson and Tyreek Hill Paydays Causing a Conundrum for Cowboys and 49Ers

Justin Jefferson (18) of the Minnesota Vikings scores a touchdown during the first quarter in the game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn., on Sept. 11, 2022. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

Superstar wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Tyreek Hill getting paid has cost the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers significantly.

Both playoff contenders can’t find a way to secure their respective superstar wide receivers, Brandon Aiyuk (49ers) and CeeDee Lamb (Cowboys), amid ongoing contract drama and trade speculation before the season.

Jefferson set the receiver market this year via a four-year $140 million extension with the Minnesota Vikings. Hill then added to the $30 million average annual salary trend with a three-year $90 million extension with the Miami Dolphins on Aug. 3.

Aiyuk has been campaigning all offseason for the 49ers to give him a similar extension payment or trade him. He hasn’t participated in training camp and the preseason thus far, though the 49ers have him on a fifth-year rookie contract extension of $14.12 million.

Lamb, likewise, has held out with the Cowboys amid his contract demands. He has a fifth-year extension of $17.99 million on his rookie deal this year.

Lamb hasn’t requested a trade with the Cowboys yet, and trade speculation remains at the level of ideas and rumors versus reports from credible insiders. However, Lamb stirred speculation in the media when he removed Cowboys references from the profile section of his X account.

Lamb also responded “lol” to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ media comment, “I don’t have any urgency to get it done,” in regards to the contract extension.

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott doesn’t view it that way, however. “I know y’all want to ask, I got urgency for it to happen,” Prescott said as he left the stage at an Aug. 8 press conference, per Cowboys.com reporter Nick Harris.

It’s similar urgency that 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy experiences without Aiyuk in camp. Purdy hasn’t spoken about it since camp began, but he previously made a point during offseason team activities in May.

“Yeah, I think it’s extremely important,” Purdy said in a May 21 press conference. “He is a playmaker. Love throwing to him. Love B.A. as a person. So yeah, it’s definitely important.”

Aiyuk caught 75 passes for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns last season, which only made Purdy’s job easier. The two also connected in the playoffs for 149 yards and a touchdown, and that included a clutch pass play in the NFC Championship Game.

Aiyuk has been stellar throughout his young career with two 1,000-yard seasons, and he had at least 56 receptions, 748 yards, and five touchdowns in each of his first two years. Lamb likewise has been a strong producer in Dallas with three 1,000-yard seasons except for his rookie year of 935 yards and five touchdowns.

While Lamb and the Cowboys haven’t gone as far as the 49ers in the postseason, Prescott arguably faces a bigger potential loss with Lamb than Purdy does with Aiyuk. Lamb caught 135 passes for 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2023.

If Lamb doesn’t play or gets traded, wide receiver Brandin Cooks and Jalen Tolbert suddenly need to step up. Cooks had 54 catches for 657 yards and eight touchdowns last year, but Tolbert only had 22 receptions for 268 yards and two touchdowns.

Purdy still has wide receiver Deebo Samuel, who had 60 receptions for 892 yards and seven touchdowns plus wideout Jauan Jennings, who had 19 catches for 265 yards and a touchdown. In addition, Purdy has an MVP-caliber, do-it-all running back in Christian McCaffrey, who can impact the passing game as he did last year.

San Francisco took a precaution by drafting Ricky Pearsall Jr. out of Florida in the first round. The Cowboys didn’t draft a wideout until the sixth round with former Southeast Missouri State standout Ryan Flournoy.

If the ideal on-field scenario happens for either team and their respective prized wideouts stay, time will be short for preparation, with less than a month remaining until the regular season.

At least for Prescott, he acknowledged that could be more than enough time because he noted “1 or 2” practices with Lamb would suffice, according to Harris. For Purdy, Aiyuk was the leading receiver in the quarterback’s first career start in 2022, so a similar amount of practice could suffice for that tandem as well.