Afrigather As soon as the 2022 offseason happened, the Dallas Cowboys wanted to search out one other weapon at huge receiver behind CeeDee Lamb and the now retired Michael Gallup. They ended up taking Jalen Tolbert out of South Alabama within the third spherical, who was recent off of profitable Offensive Participant of the Yr within the Solar Belt convention. He got here into the league having performed a number of spots on the place in faculty, making him an intriguing prospect with some upside.
As a late Day 2 decide, Tolbert wasn’t anticipated to return in and dominate by any means. Nevertheless, the WR3 function was firmly up for grabs, and he was seen as the right man to fill that spot. Sadly for Tolbert, he struggled to determine himself as he would solely log two receptions in eight video games. Going into the 2023 season, the aforementioned Gallup clearly wasn’t the identical man after his ACL tear, that means Tolbert had the chance to compete for the WR2 spot. Nevertheless, the staff signed veteran Brandin Cooks, which primarily put Tolbert because the fourth man within the pecking order. Regardless of this, Tolbert would play 477 snaps, and in the direction of the tip of the season, it was obvious that he and quarterback Dak Prescott have been constructing belief between them. Tolbert ended up having 4 video games with an ideal catch proportion and completed with 22 receptions for 268 yards and two touchdowns.
The Cowboys moved on from Gallup within the offseason, giving Tolbert one other shot to firmly lock down an enormous function within the passing recreation. He got here in because the clear favourite for WR3, and during the last couple of video games, Tolbert has regarded like a particularly stable piece behind Lamb. After catching all three of his targets towards the New York Giants, the previous third-rounder had his popping out get together towards the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week. Tolbert set single-game career-highs in receptions (7) and yards (87) and topped it off with the game-winning landing with 20 seconds left. For the season, Tolbert has 20 receptions for 247 yards and two touchdowns with 12 first down receptions.
With Cooks out for a number of extra weeks with a knee concern, Tolbert can lock down being the second possibility for the Cowboys by way of the air. Cooks is an unrestricted free agent in 2025, which implies Dallas has to get the WR2 spot solidified for the longer term. After the Cowboys win over the Steelers, Tolbert spoke on how he is been patiently ready to just do that.
I work arduous for this. Clearly, God has given me the expertise and skill to have the ability to proceed to work and proceed to get higher, and so I give him all of the glory for it. I have been working for years for this and ready on my alternative, ready on the time the place I’d have the ability to get extra offensive snaps or get extra targets, no matter it might be.
Each time that second comes, you have bought to have the ability to be prepared for it. I believe that is one thing that we emphasised all week.
Tolbert will solely get extra assured, and Prescott’s belief in him will enhance the extra he retains producing. The arrow continues to level up for Tolbert, and the Cowboys want it desperately and not using a constant operating recreation in the meanwhile.
