Getty Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy.
The Dallas Cowboys are preparing for an important few weeks as the NFC East team keeps putting together the 2023 roster.
The addition of Brandin Cooks injected some much-needed experience and skill into the wide receiver group, but they may still look to add a young talent in the 2023 NFL draft. If that happens, Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine thinks it would be a bad look for Jalen Tolbert.
Tolbert was drafted by the Cowboys in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft, but failed to make a significant imprint on the season. Now, he could be facing a “demotion” of sorts if Dallas adds another receiver in this year’s draft.
“As a third-round pick, the Cowboys are invested enough to keep giving Tolbert chances but not so invested they can’t draft direct competition,” Ballentine writes. “The arrival of Brandin Cooks likely gives them a No. 2 receiver. If they take a receiver in the first three rounds, it’s a sign they don’t trust Tolbert to take over as the No. 3 option.”
It would certainly create more competition in a group that Tolbert struggled to separate himself from. However, it’s fair to say that the “chances” Ballentine mentions mean that the South Alabama product doesn’t need to panic.
Early Struggles for Jalen Tolbert
Unlike former first-round picks on the team like CeeDee Lamb or Brandin Cooks, Tolbert was a “draft darling” that scouts and teams liked after Day 1. The Cowboys ended up being the team to take the 24-year-old with the 88th overall pick.
Tolbert had shown plenty of ability at South Alabama, racking up 2559 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns in his final two seasons. He was clearly an elite player at the Sun Belt Conference level.
But the sharp step up to the NFL can be tough for even the most solid of prospects, and Tolbert learned that the hard way. Tolbert didn’t just struggle to make plays in games, he struggled to get himself onto the gameday roster.
According to Pro Football Reference, Tolbert was only active 8 times during the 2022 season. He caught two passes on three targets for 12 yards. He was not a special teams factor either, playing 53 total snaps in the unit.
Brandin Cooks Sends Message on Cowboys Role
While Tolbert prepares for more competition, Cooks is sending a message to Lamb and the rest of the receivers. Primarily, that statement is that it is Lamb’s group and he is the No. 1 receiver.
Cooks spoke to ESPN’s Adam Schefter on his podcast, offering nothing but praise and camaraderie ahead of his first season with the Cowboys.
“CeeDee, you’re talking about a guy that’s been electric since the moment he stepped into this league, but you saw last year what he did to really just go into that mode of a true No. 1 receiver,” Cooks said. “I’ve got a lot of respect for his game from afar, and I hit him up and was like, ‘Look, I’m coming to just help.’ Like, there’s no ego.”
That’s exactly what Dallas fans want to hear, but it will be interesting to see how it works out in practice. Cooks is one of the most prolific wide receivers in recent NFL history and doesn’t seem to be slowing down just yet.