Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons is confident CeeDee Lamb will be back for the opening game of the NFL season.
Lamb is currently in the middle of a contract dispute and, as such, a three-week holdout as he waits to negotiate an extension to his current deal.
The wide receiver missed their opening pre-season game against the Los Angeles Rams last Sunday, and after skipping the Cowboys' mandatory minicamp in June along with training camp, he has totalled more than $1million in fines.
And despite negotiations over a new deal still going on, Parsons is confident Lamb will be back on the field for their opener against the Cleveland Browns on September 8.
"We have our talks, but at the end of the day, me and CeeDee and all of us, we kind of know what it is," Parsons said.
"CeeDee is a part of the brotherhood whether he likes it or not. He knows he's not going nowhere.
"The business side, they going to take care of him. But obviously, we miss him. I mean, he's one of the best people you can have in a locker room, and I'm pretty sure he'll be here soon, because no doubt about it, Week 1, he will be suited up for the Dallas Cowboys."
Last week, owner and general manager Jerry Jones said there was no urgency to get Lamb's deal done, though he backtracked slightly on Sunday, saying "CeeDee is missed".
The 25-year-old was unlikely to play in the pre-season games anyway, but he has missed valuable practice time as the team gears up for the start of the new season.
However, coach Mike McCarthy says he will be smart about reintegrating Lamb into the side whenever he returns.
"You just make time to get done what you need to get done, that's how I look at CeeDee when he gets here," McCarthy said.
"We know CeeDee is always going to be in great shape and so forth. Yeah, we'll make the time, and we'll be smart about it, too, because we got to make sure we have a sound plan and once he does get back here."