RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesDallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb appears to be taking an unorthodox approach to addressing the issues he endured with drops during the 2025 NFL season.
Lamb was spotted during a Cowboys training camp practice on August 4 catching passes from a JUGS machine with some sort of net or cloth draped over his helmet.
Lamb was able to consistently catch passes from the machine despite his vision being impacted by his head-covering. His counterpart, George Pickens , wasn't able to enjoy similar success when he briefly gave Lamb's drill a try.
Here's what the session for the two receivers looked like, per Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News.
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CeeDee Lamb catching passes with a net over his helmet. pic.twitter.com/AMeltxZhjP
— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) August 4, 2026
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George Pickens tried it and was done with it. pic.twitter.com/ZxAvmggDXc
— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) August 4, 2026
Neither Lamb nor Pickens clarified the exact purpose of the drill. That said, it's worth noting Lamb is coming off a season during which he uncharacteristically struggled with drops.
Lamb dropped eight total passes in 2025, which was tied for sixth-most in the league and tied his career-worst mark in the category from the 2020 and 2021 seasons. His drop rate of 6.8% was the second-worst of his career and ranked 36th-highest among 197 qualified players last season.
On numerous occasions, Lamb took responsibility for his drops. He shouldered the blame for the Cowboys' Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, saying he needed to "catch the damn ball," and also spoke candidly about needing to showcase more consistency with his hands later in the 2025 season.
"No, I just find ways to get better," Lamb said, per the Cowboys official website . "I want to be solution-oriented and not really dwell on the problem. Granted, we know the problem – I need to catch the (expletive) ball. When I do catch it, just be ready."
Lamb still logged 75 catches for 1,077 yards and three touchdowns across 14 games and was named to the Pro Bowl. If he can curb his issue with drops in 2026, he should have a chance to make a sixth consecutive Pro Bowl and return to his All-Pro form.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: CeeDee Lamb covers his face in eye-catching drill at Cowboys camp
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