Tag: Jalen Tolbert

Here’s how the Cowboys 10 WRs impact the 2024 salary cap

A breakdown of the Cowboys wide receiver room’s contracts and impact on the salary cap as the club enters the team building phase. | From @ArmyChiefW3

The Cowboys have 10 wide receivers under contract for 2024 and the new league year hasn’t even begun. To an outsider looking in, it may feel like Dallas does not have much room to add to this position group. A deep dive into contract specifics muddies the waters and calls into question the total amount of money that goes to the group.

Wideout CeeDee Lamb is the unquestioned leader of this group and figures to command a large payday. Behind him, sits a collection of varying degrees of pedigree, skill and experience.  Opportunity lurks just around the corner but trust must be earned by both the coaching staff and the quarterback as well, as evidenced by the volume directed at Lamb.

After checking out both the quarterback room and the running backs, here’s a look at the financial breakdown of all of the wideouts on the Cowboys 2024 roster in February.

WATCH: Dak Prescott perfect on opening TD drive

From @Cdburnett7: Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott marched down the field against the Commanders with a perfect touchdown drive.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott’s strong season isn’t slowing down in the final week of the regular season. In front of a crowd full of blue at FedEx Field, Dallas got off to a quick defensive start with a fourth-down stop, thanks to Damone Clark.

Prescott took the reins after the quick change and was a perfect 6-for-6 to open the game. The drive was eight plays, all gainers as he threw for 57 yards on the 67-yard scoring drive. It was capped off by wide receiver Jalen Tolbert, who received a perfect pass from Prescott under duress for his first second touchdown as a pro.

That’s passing touchdown No. 33, the current league leader. This game is crucial with an NFC East title on the line, and Prescott’s excellence alongside the Cowboys offense led to an early 7-0 lead on the road.

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Here’s why WR Jalen Tolbert needs more opportunities in Cowboys offense

There are a number of ways the Cowboys can create more opportunities for Jalen Tolbert and it’s time to start exploring them. | From @ReidDHanson

Jalen Tolbert only has seven receptions for 71 yards this season, yet many believe he’s earned a bigger role. Coming off an enormously disappointing rookie campaign where Tolbert only collected two balls for 12 yards, his buzz in 2023 may seem odd to some.

The former third-round pick hasn’t offered any jaw dropping plays nor does he come with elite pedigree. Tolbert hailed from South Alabama where his national attention was limited and his jump to the pros was enormous, somewhat explaining his struggles as a rookie last year.

But over the offseason Tolbert dedicated himself to the craft and earned frequent offseason praise for his progression. He flashed in training camp and in preseason games, leading many to believe he’d be a decent piece to the offense in 2023. Yet, he’s logged just 150 offensive snaps.

150 actually sounds like a lot considering how infrequently he’s been targeted. The WRs getting the most looks in Dallas have been CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup and Brandin Cooks.

Calls to get Cooks the ball more often have been almost deafening. If Tolbert needs more as well, where are all these magical opportunities supposed to come from?

 

Cowboys’ Stephen Jones: Jalen Tolbert has ‘locked down’ WR4 role

From @ToddBrock247: The second-year receiver has done enough through camp to secure his place right behind CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, and Michael Gallup.

How many wide receivers the Cowboys end up placing on the 53-man regular-season roster is anyone’s guess. But we know it will be at least four, and now we even know who those four will be.

CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, and Michael Gallup were gimmes. But beyond that trio of starters, there are still 11 other receivers hoping to have a locker at The Star this time next week.

Second-year man Jalen Tolbert will be one of them, says Stephen Jones.

The team’s chief operating officer confirmed what most observers had felt was the case all through camp, saying the 24-year-old out of South Alabama has sewn up the first backup spot on the depth chart.

“Tolbert’s locked down that four spot and certainly shown that he can be productive for us,” Jones said on Tuesday, per the team website. “Dak’s very comfortable with him.”

For what it’s worth, head coach Mike McCarthy shrugged off any definitive developments in regard to the pecking order.

“I’m not really there with depth charts,” he said Tuesday. “That’s a PR thing.”

“But Jalen’s doing a heck of a job. Really proud of the strides that he’s made.”

It has indeed been a dramatic turnaround from Tolbert’s rookie season, when he posted just two catches on three targets for 12 yards.

“You’ve got a guy like Tolbert who ended up needing a little time, then you get a veteran in the room with him like a Cooks, and now we’re seeing what we drafted,” Jones continued. “That third-round pick has turned into something that we’re going to have.”

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Tolbert himself had admitted that he needed to work on his mental fortitude after a disappointing debut in 2022, when the expectations put on him as a small-school Top-100 draft pick were perhaps unreasonably high.

“I just had to put it all together, regain my confidence this offseason,” he said after the Cowboys’ second preseason game, in Seattle. “So I’m just going out there now and being myself, playing fast and physical and confident.”

It’s been enough that Tolbert has officially distinguished himself from the rest of the wide receiver hopefuls, who are now battling for a role as WR5, at best.

But Tolbert’s quantum leap during this offseason also stands out to Jones as something special, even among all the sophomore classes he’s seen come through the building.

“Usually, it’s an offensive lineman that can make a jump like that. Some guys just come in, and they’re going against full grown men in this league. A lot of guys are young,” Jones said.

“But on my fingertips, I don’t have someone that’s made that big of a jump from year one to year two.”

Tolbert’s made the jump, all right. But there’s still no telling where he could eventually land.

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Cowboys WR Jalen Tolbert finally showing skill set many had doubted: ‘I know it’s there’

From @ToddBrock24f7: Tolbert has put in the work to get past a disappointing rookie year; he’s now considered the frontrunner for the Cowboys’ WR4 job.

There may not be a Dallas Cowboy who has helped his own personal brand more during this offseason than Jalen Tolbert.

A surprise third-round selection in 2022, it was hoped then that Tolbert could step into a role as an immediate contributor at wide receiver for a Cowboys receiving corps that was thin, to say the least.

He ended his rookie season with all of two catches on three targets for 12 yards.

The two games that comprise Tolbert’s 2023 preseason have already far surpassed those anemic numbers. His six targets, four receptions, and 66 yards led the team versus Seattle on Saturday. Add those stats to his 2-for-2 night for 29 yards and a touchdown against Jacksonville in the exhibition opener, and you can start to see what the Cowboys apparently had a glimpse of when they spent a top-100 pick on the kid out of tiny South Alabama.

“It’s special,” Tolbert told media members Saturday night of his upward-trending play. “Obviously, I know it’s there. I just had to put it all together, regain my confidence this offseason. So I’m just going out there now and being myself, playing fast and physical and confident.”

The confidence is key. Written off by many observers as a bust after just eight game appearances as a rookie, Tolbert spent the offseason doing everything in his power to improve his station with the team: studying the playbook, working out, packing on muscle, spending copious amounts of time playing catch with his quarterback in the DakYard.

The effort has been obvious in camp, with Tolbert making several highlight-reel grabs and proving that he is ready to climb the depth chart in his second season and earn even more looks moving forward.

“The confidence; it just jumps off the field,” head coach Mike McCarthy noted in his postgame remarks Saturday night. “I think that’s a tribute to his hard work. He’s had a heck of an offseason, and he’s cashing in on opportunities. He’s making plays.”

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But he’s also clearly behind CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, and Michael Gallup when it comes to the team’s current WR pecking order. So the 24-year-old Mobile native is making himself valuable in other ways, too.

“I want to do my one-eleventh, whatever I can for the team, whether it’s special teams or offense,” he said after the Cowboys’ 22-14 loss in Seattle. “So just going out there and getting those reps that I’ve never really had before; just continuing to grow on those and build confidence within the special teams aspect of the game.”

Now heading into the last preseason contest before roster cuts, Tolbert appears to have solidified his place on the final 53-man roster and could be considered the frontrunner to land the WR4 job title ahead of a very crowded field.

He’s come a very long way very quickly. But he admits he has no plans to stop climbing the mountain now.

“I feel like I’m back to how I felt when I was in college, coming out,” Tolbert said. “I’m just continuing to grow upon that. Obviously, you can always get better at every aspect of wide receiver, so that’s the goal: continue to grow and not be stuck where I’m at.”

As his trajectory from last year’s draft bust to this year’s roster lock shows, Tolbert doesn’t stay stuck in one place for long.

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Building blocks among 3 things to watch for in Cowboys-Seahawks

What can fans look for the Cowboys to expand on in Game 2 of the preseason? | From @cdpiglet

Winning and losing take on different meanings in the preseason as compared to the regular season. In the regular season, the point total is what determines a successful outing, but exhibition-game success is measured differently. The Dallas Cowboys “lost” to the Jacksonville Jaguars in their first preseason game of 2023, but in reality, Dallas left that game feeling like they won overall.

The Cowboys’ second-team defense handled the Jaguars’ first-team offense with a forced turnover and a three-and-out, and had a bunch of guys on the bubble show up and look like potential contributors. Most importantly, they left the game with no serious injury concerns.

Now the team turns to a road game against the Seattle Seahawks and looks to continue to improve on the work they have done all training camp, but especially what they saw in real game reps last week. Here are some things fans should keep an eye on in this game that could help tell the story about the 53-man rosters and the success of the team going forward.

3 revelations that emerged from Cowboys’ preseason opener

The problem area might not be problematic, plans for the RBs and second-year leaping are among the early takeaways. | From @cdpiglet

The Dallas Cowboys’ comeback against the Jacksonsville Jaguars in the exhibition opener fell short. ending in a 28-23 loss at AT&T Stadium. It was the first of three games the Cowboys will play in the quote-unquote meaningless preseason. In the big picture, preseason games mean very little to a team’s season. Winning isn’t the primary objective like it is when games matter.

Instead the Cowboys will focus on getting units some work together to build continuity, getting young guys reps in real games, but mainly just leave each game without any big injuries and it’s a win at the end of the day. This doesn’t mean fans and analysts can’t find some important things to take from these games though. Players breakout, or teams show new wrinkles in their game plans just to name a couple. Here are some things the contest revealed for Dallas.

Which Cowboys’ upside is greater, Jabril Cox or Jalen Tolbert?

Both have disappointed since being drafted with the label of steal. Which of the two youngsters would have a bigger impact if they pan out in 2023? @cdpiglet compares.

During their respective draft years, linebacker Jabril Cox and wide receiver Jalen Tolbert both had Cowboys team insiders claiming Dallas had interested in each of them at least a round before they were eventually drafted.

During every draft, fans and scouts alike apply the label of draft-day steal pretty liberally. Insert any prospect picked near the end of the third round or later and there’ll be traits to claim will help the prospect develop into a starter. However whether it was due to injury or other factors, neither have made any real impact on the field.

Can things change in 2023? Tolbert has looked good early in camp and Cox seems healthy finally, but they need to practice well enough to earn snaps when it actually counts. They each are fighting their own battles, but what happens when they are pitted against each other?

If the Cowboys could only have one of the two options breakout, would Cox making the third-year jump be more impactful than if Tolbert became the clear fourth receiver?

It’s all about building confidence for these talented young Cowboys

These two young Cowboys players know firsthand, talent alone won’t guarantee success in the NFL, players must have knowledge and confidence, says @ReidDHanson.

Confidence can be a killer for a young NFL prospect. Too much of it? Poor decisions, poor preparation and reckless behavior. Too little of it? Second guessing, diminished reaction time and erratic play. Both extremes of the spectrum can result in poor performance.

The Cowboys have two former top-100 draft picks who appear to be severely lacking in the confidence department. The once highly-regarded prospects have been underwhelming as professionals and now find themselves fighting to live up to expectations and fighting for their jobs.

If they can get right mentally, their physical ability will likely allow them to fulfill their potential. If they can’t get over their mental barriers, they may never live up to their draft status or worse, not make the 53-man roster cut just over a month away.

Prescott still working with Ezekiel Elliott, young Cowboys WR at backyard field

From @ToddBrock24f7: What offseason break? Dak, Zeke, and Jalen Tolbert put in some work before Prescott’s appearance at a Wednesday luncheon in Dallas.

If you build it, they will come.

And now that Dak Prescott’s private backyard practice field has been up and running for nearly three years, his Cowboys teammates- and even, in a few notable cases, ex-teammates– most definitely come.

“It’s awesome that they feel comfortable enough to use my field,” Prescott told Lia Assimakopoulus of the Dallas Morning News, adding that he often doesn’t know who will show up until he looks out the window on any given day.

In fact, just before a Wednesday appearance at an SMU sports luncheon, Prescott says he got in some morning work with former Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott and current second-year wide receiver Jalen Tolbert.

Elliott remains a free agent after his March release by the Cowboys, but he and Prescott have maintained a regular workout schedule as Prescott prepares for his eighth season at the helm of the Dallas offense and the two-time rushing champ seeks his next NFL opportunity.

“That’s my best friend,” Prescott said of Elliott, who was drafted by the Cowboys three rounds before him in 2016. “We’ll continue to work, continue to push each other. He looks great. I’m excited for whatever opportunity he has coming up, and I’m always his biggest fan.”

Prescott has made no secret that he would love for the Cowboys to re-sign Elliott to a less costly contract so that he can return to the team. But Elliott isn’t the only former marquee rusher currently on the open market. Dalvin Cook, Kareem Hunt, and Leonard Fournette- who have combined for over 14,000 career rushing yards- are also looking for new rosters to join after their clubs moved on from them in the offseason.

“I think the running back position is tough,” Prescott said, per Assimakopoulus. “All those guys are dynamic backs, can still play and have a lot left in the tank. I hope all of them make the right decision and not just jump on whatever’s fast. You’re never surprised about what this league does. You always have to understand it’s a business and try not to take anything personal.”

As for Tolbert, the 24-year-old wideout seems to be taking things very personally after a lackluster rookie campaign. The third-year draft pick was expected to be a major contributor in 2022 after the Cowboys moved on from Amari Cooper and waited for Michael Gallup to fully recuperate from injury. But the South Alabama product caught just two balls all season and was quickly written off by some observers as a bust.

But he’s put in a lot of offseason work, Prescott says, and been one of the best surprises of the team’s early OTAs and minicamp sessions.

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It may because he’s been a frequent participant in his quarterback’s backyard sessions.

“He’s itching to get better,” Prescott said of Tolbert. “Any time I ask, he’s the first one responding. He’s there with the right approach.”

The 55-yard patch of turf behind his house (nicknamed “The DakYard”) isn’t just a hangout spot for the guys he shares a locker room with. Every throw to a teammate is another valuable practice rep for Prescott as he looks to move past a lackluster season that saw him led the league in interceptions and face questions about whether he’s ever fully bounced back from injuries in each of the last three years.

Prescott is eager to bury those doubts, right beneath his own field of dreams.

“I feel the best I’ve been,” he said. “I’m hesitant to say that sometimes because I’ve seen an injury come, but I do feel amazing. Throwing the ball, working out this morning, the ball comes out great. The ball comes out better than it ever has.”

If he’s right, this may be the year the Cowboys go the distance.

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