CeeDee Lamb's season is over with two games to play as the Dallas Cowboys opted to shut down the wide receiver Thursday.
Lamb, who has dealt with a sprained AC joint in his shoulder since a Nov. 3 loss to the Atlanta Falcons and has aggravated it almost weekly, had more scans this week that showed the injury had worsened. With the Cowboys eliminated from the playoffs, the team decided to sit its No. 1 wide receiver.
In a statement, the Cowboys said he is not expected to need surgery and should make a full recovery through a "process of treatment and rehabilitation."
Lamb is the Cowboys' fifth Pro Bowl player to have his season end early because of injury, joining quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring), right guard Zack Martin (ankle), defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (foot) and cornerback Trevon Diggs (knee).
Pro Bowl cornerback DaRon Bland spent the first 10 games of the season on injured reserve before returning from surgery on his left foot Nov. 24. Pro Bowl pass rusher Micah Parsons missed four games earlier in the year because of a high ankle sprain but did not go on IR.
Lamb, who signed a four-year, $136 million extension in August that made him the second-highest-paid receiver in the NFL (behind Justin Jefferson), is second in the NFL in receptions with 101 and third in receiving yards with 1,194, despite playing the past seven games with backup quarterback Cooper Rush after Prescott's injury.
Lamb is coming off back-to-back 100-yard games against the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, reaching triple figures in the first half of both. After a 52-yard reception in the second quarter last week against the Buccaneers in which he landed on his shoulder, Lamb's snaps were limited in the second half.
The Cowboys altered their practice schedule this week because of Christmas. Their first full workout of the week occurred Thursday, leading into Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Replacing Lamb will be difficult. Brandin Cooks and Jalen Tolbert will be their top two wide receivers with Jonathan Mingo, Ryan Flournoy and Jalen Brooks on the 53-man roster. The Cowboys could elevate Jalen Moreno-Cropper or Kelvin Harmon from the practice squad.
Asked before the team's announcement what the Cowboys would miss without Lamb, Rush said, "Obviously his production. You can speak on that. It's hard to replace that much production. There's guys ready. We've got guys. We've got a very deep receiver room. A bunch of smart dudes, who are champing at the bit to go play."
Lamb became just the third player in NFL history with 100 receptions in three of his first five seasons, joining Michael Thomas and Brandon Marshall. Only Thomas (510) has more receptions in a player's first five seasons than Lamb's 496.
Parsons had high praise for Lamb when he talked in the locker room Thursday.
"I think for CeeDee, what's so impressive is he might be the best player I've seen with my own eyes," Parsons said. "Man, he just loves the game of football. Like I don't think anybody should ever question how much CeeDee brings to the team. He's QB-proof. I've seen him get 1,000 [yards] with Andy Dalton. I've seen him get 1,000 with Dak Prescott. I seen him get 1,000 with Cooper Rush. You give grace to all these other wide receivers and say, 'Oh, they're not producing because they don't got their quarterback,' but CeeDee showing time and time again he can do it with anyone throwing him the rock. He can find a way to get open. He's competitive. He's a dawg. Like when it comes to what's going to fight through, man, I just don't think he's comparable. That's why I think he's the best."