Cowboys' Stephen Jones Says CeeDee Lamb Needs to Be Targeted 12-15 Times Per Game

Dallas Cowboys COO and co-owner Stephen Jones wants wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to get 12 to 15 targets per game.

"He's going to touch the ball a ton — for what we're going to have to pay him, he better," Jones told Yahoo! Sports' Jori Epstein.

"I told [Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy] things can't change. He's got to be targeted 12 to 15 times a game. You got to hand it to him a couple more times. So I don't see that changing in the least bit.

"He's our No. 1 go-to guy."

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Lamb, who is currently holding out of training camp in search of a new contract, just caught an NFL-high 135 passes for 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns. He averaged 10.6 targets per game (181 over a 17-game season).

Cowboys offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer was asked about Jones' comments and provided this response.

"We should and we will," Schottenheimer told Epstein. "CeeDee is one of the few receivers where even when people know he's getting the ball, he's got the ability to get open. He's just got a knack for knowing how to run routes and to beat leverage. And to beat what we call 'bad leverage.' I haven't been around a guy that, when teams obviously knew the ball was gonna go to him, he still found a way to get open."

Lamb, who is still under contract with the Cowboys for one more season on his rookie deal, needs to get back on the playing field first and foremost. But given Jones' comments, there doesn't seem to be a big concern that Lamb could miss any time right now.

"These guys are pros and that's what I think [Cowboys owner Jerry Jones] meant when he said there's no urgency," Stephen Jones said. "He knows CeeDee 1) has prepared all summer with Dak and 2) he knows CeeDee's gonna keep in tiptop shape."

Lamb's going to have to be in tiptop shape if he's about to get 12-15 targets per game. Per StatMuse, a player has averaged 12.0 or more targets just eight times in NFL history. Former Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison holds the all-time targets record with 205 in 2002 (12.8).

Ultimately, it's not a surprise that Jones wants to see Lamb be utilized even more if the team is about to shell out a massive contract for him. But that's really the first step at this point as Lamb still remains away from the team. There's still time to get that done before the regular season, though, with the team set to open against the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 8.