Former top Cowboys draft pick needs breakout game in worst way to justify strong camp buzz
Jalen Tolbert won the Cowboys’ third receiver spot rather handily this summer. The former third-round pick has been a slow burn since joining the Cowboys in 2022. The South Alabama product logged just two receptions as a rookie and 22 as a second-year player. Year 3 is supposed to be his coming out party.
After cutting ties with the now-retired Michael Gallup over the offseason, targets are up for grabs in Dallas, pun intended. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Tolbert is in great position to gobble up the majority, even if Week 1 resulted in a rather slow start to the season.
Against the Browns, Tolbert logged just one reception; the same number of catches his primary competition for snaps, Jalen Brooks, pulled in. It’s not the type of inspiring debut many hoped for from the third-year pass catcher and gives credence to the idea the third receiver spot is destined to be a timeshare in Dallas this season.
While it’s true snaps will be divided somewhat between WR3-WR5, Tolbert’s standing as the true No. 3 is likely pretty solid. Even though the production wasn’t there, Tolbert still posted 42 snaps compared to Brooks who posted just 13.
Jalen Tolbert from Dak Prescott.
Mojo moment.
That adjustment and catch. Are you freaking kidding me????
#Cowboys pic.twitter.com/KnK02kJQaO
— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) August 15, 2024
Since the game was well in hand by halftime, it’s understandable Tolbert’s numbers were modest. Keep in mind, CeeDee Lamb only posted 61 yards receiving and Dak Prescott only threw for 179 yards. It just wasn’t an air-it-out kind of day in Cleveland.
An item working in Tolbert’s favor is the situation at tight end and how it threatens to impact the Cowboys different personnel groups. Jake Ferguson is nursing an MCL sprain which means he could miss time in coming weeks. Given the falloff in talent at TE after Ferguson, it’s likely Mike McCarthy will favor more WR-heavy personnel packages. 12 and 13 personnel (two and three TE packages) will probably see a decline while 11 and 21 will be more common.
The Cowboys have already stated their intention of having fullback Hunter Luepke take over much of Ferguson’s snaps. They also showed they’re happy to use blocking specialist Brevyn Spann-Ford to pick up the slack as well. It stands to reason with one fewer pass catching TE on the field, more opportunities downfield are coming Tolbert’s way.
There’s no reason to worry about Tolbert’s paltry impact in Week 1 because the situation didn’t dictate a big passing day for Dallas. Coming weeks will present better opportunities, and the idea Tolbert will build upon Gallup’s 34 receptions for 418 yards from 2023, remains perfectly reasonable.
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