Best-Case Scenario: What Can Cowboys WR Jalen Tolbert Become?
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert’s career got off to a rough start, but don’t label him as a bust yet. Despite Dallas adding even more talent to the receiver room this offseason, Tolbert could thrive if the new "Texas Coast Offense'' allows him to evolve like, say, Los Angeles Chargers wideout Josh Palmer did in his second season.
Entering last season, Tolbert was expected to assert himself as the team’s No. 2 receiver behind CeeDee Lamb following the departure of Amari Cooper and an ACL injury to Michael Gallup. Instead, Tolbert finished the season starting only one game, having an abysmal two catches for 12 yards.
This off-season, Dallas traded for veteran wideout Brandin Cooks, further burying Tolbert on the roster after some speculated (irresponsibly) that the youngster could be traded after his disastrous rookie year.
However, there’s still hope that Tolbert can turn his career around despite falling on the depth chart from potentially being the No. 2 receiver as a rookie to, at best, being the team’s No. 4.
In 2022, Dallas had the 18th most passing yards in the league. Though Lamb led the group in receiving yards at 1,359, the players with the second- and third-most yards, Dalton Schultz (577) and Noah Brown (555), were the only others to have more than 500 yards receiving, and both signed elsewhere in free agency.
Losing two of the team’s top three receiving threats means there can be an entire shift in how targets are distributed in 2023. Barring injury, Cooks is virtually guaranteed to be the team’s new No. 2 receiver, and a healthy Gallup should slot in as the No. 3. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for Tolbert to make an impact in his second season.
Let's go to L.A. Last year the Chargers had six players eclipse 500 yards receiving. One of those was breakout second-year receiver Josh Palmer. Like Tolbert, Palmer had an unimpressive rookie season and recorded under 35 receptions. Yet, in his second year, he not only saw more than 50 targets for the first time in his career, he went on to have 72 receptions and 769 receiving yards. Palmer's turnaround wouldn't have been possible without his increased opportunities, something Tolbert must hope for.
Is L.A. a blueprint for how to resurrect Tolbert’s career? That may be a bit much; the Chargers fired their 2022 coordinator Joe Lombardi and replaced him with ousted Dallas assistant Kellen Moore. (And Lombardi is now Sean Payton's coordinator in Denver. "One man's trash ...'' right?) But there is this: The Cowboys had five players receive at least 50 targets in 2022. Meanwhile, the Chargers had six players surpass 60 targets.
Tolbert needs game experience and a lot more than the three targets he received all of last season. ... but if he works his way there? He can be part of a wide-ranging target group for Dak Prescott.
Now all he has to do is prove that he’s still the player Dallas considered worthy of selection in 2022. Tolbert's first chance to prove he's the next Palmer and build back the excitement that once surrounded him will come in training camp on July 24. ... at which time he'll compete with Simi Fehoko and others for a No. 4 receiver spot that can make a difference in the Dallas offense.
You can follow Isaiah DeAnda Delgado on Twitter and Instagram @IsaiahDDelgado.
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