CeeDee Lamb gives surprising list of his top 5 cornerbacks in the NFL

Dallas Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb has a knack for making cornerbacks look silly on Sundays in the fall, making him well qualified to identify the best in the game.

Speaking with teammate Micah Parsons on his “The Edge” podcast, Lamb ranked his top-five cornerbacks in the NFL and went with Sauce Gardner of the New York Jets with his top spot. Behind Gardner, according to Lamb, is the Denver Broncos’ Patrick Surtain II, the Miami Dolphins’ Jalen Ramsey, free agent Xavien Howard and the Cleveland Browns’ Denzel Ward.

.@_CeeDeeThree’s top 5 corners (the Edge with @MicahhParsons11 podcast):

1) @iamSauceGardner
2) @PatSurtainll
3) @jalenramsey
4) @Iamxavienhoward
5) @denzelward pic.twitter.com/pm9Rh7hPWv

— uSTADIUM (@uSTADIUM) July 27, 2024

“Sauce, I love playing against Pat Surtain. He’s tough. Both of them,” Lamb said of Gardner and Surtain. “They’re identical because they’re young, they’re very energetic, they’re smart and they’re tall. They know how to use their length.”

Gardner, Surtain, Ramsey and Ward come as no surprise, as the quartet often pop up in these kinds of lists. Howard, however, is a big shocker based off not the entirety of his career, but the most recent season in the NFL. Following three consecutive Pro Bowl campaigns from 2020-’22, Howard struggled in his age-30 season. Howard posted the worst PFF grade of his career in 2023, and Miami released him earlier this offseason. He remains un-signed with training camp officially underway across the league.

CeeDee Lamb still seeking long-term extension with Cowboys

Lamb, meanwhile, is in the middle of a training camp holdout as he seeks a long-term extension from the Cowboys. Speaking with the media Thursday, team owner Jerry Jones said he won’t get “bent out of shape” about Lamb not attending camp for a new contract.

“I don’t flare when it’s happening to us. I’m aware that we want to get these guys to camp. Business as usual. … I’m used to this, I can live with this,” Jones said.

Lamb, coming off a season in which he led the NFL with 135 receptions to go along with a career high 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns, is one of several Cowboys looking to get paid. Both quarterback Dak Prescott and edge rusher Micah Parsons have yet to sign long-term extensions as well.

“Those three players could be 70% of all the money you’ve got, 70% of your payroll,” Jones said. “Now you need a little money for the other 51. That’s a challenge.”