Dallas Cowboys star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has firmly established himself as one of the NFL’s elite pass catchers. While no one can question his commitment to improving his game, a recent clip of him at training camp drew criticism, prompting a fiery response from former Cowboys wide receiver Cole Beasley.
Cole Beasley Defends CeeDee Lamb After Viral Cowboys Training Camp Clip Sparks Criticism
A video from Cowboys training camp recently made the rounds on social media after Lamb stretched for a pass that ultimately fell incomplete. The play appeared to be nothing more than a typical early-camp timing miscue, but one fan mocked the receiver by posting, “88 already checking out in training camp, it’s gonna be a long season.”
Fantasy football analyst William Spencer III made a sarcastic response to the troll, writing, “Yeah… Lamb so checked out… 🤣🤣🤣 Shhhhhh.”
Beasley appeared to misinterpret Spencer’s sarcasm and defended Lamb with a post.
“He’s not checked out. Looks like 525 F Post. They are just getting back in the groove. He’s a little short on his route so the ball is a little late because of it. Him and Dak (Prescott) will get on the same page, and this will be a completion every time. That’s what camp is for,” Beasley wrote.
He’s not checked out. Looks like 525 F Post. They are just getting back in the groove. He’s a little short on his route so the ball is a little late because of it. Him and Dak will get on the same page and this will be a completion every time. That’s what camp is for. https://t.co/YtLyNd0JhU
— Cole Beasley (@Bease11) August 4, 2026
Keeping aside this, there has indeed been a major issue with Lamb regarding drops, as he recorded 8 drops in 14 games last season. He also witnessed a shaky start to this year’s training camp by dropping his first target on Day 1.
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That drop was first reported by Joseph Hoyt of the Dallas Morning News. Rather than brush it off, Lamb was back on the field the next morning at 7:45 a.m. local time, roughly four hours before the scheduled 11:45 a.m. PT practice, putting in extra JUGS machine work, according to DallasCowboys.com staff writer Nick Eatman.
The five-time Pro Bowler, a first-team All-Pro in 2023 and a two-time second-team selection, has kept challenging himself throughout camp. During Tuesday’s practice, wide receivers coach Junior Adams had Lamb catching passes off the JUGS machine while wearing a net over his helmet, a setup designed to limit his vision and force him to track the ball longer. Lamb made nearly every catch, dropping only one or two.
George Pickens gave it a try as well and lasted exactly one rep, letting the first ball sail through his hands before pulling the net off and walking away, a useful measure of how hard the drill actually was.
A high ankle sprain and a concussion limited Lamb to 14 games last season, and he finished with a 78.3 PFN WR Impact grade, 21st among wide receivers on a scale where the average qualifying receiver grades out at 75. Solid, but well short of the standard he set from 2022 through 2024. His approach this offseason suggests he’s determined to reclaim that ground in 2026. Paired with Pickens, who is playing on a fully guaranteed one-year, $27.3 million franchise tag after a 1,429-yard breakout, Dallas has one of the more dangerous receiver tandems in the league heading into the season.
