Cowboys WR Trade Talk; Noah Brown OUT - What's Wrong With Rookie Jalen Tolbert?
In this story:
Dallas Cowboys rookie receiver Jalen Tolbert has been climbing a hill since being drafted. The 23-year-old was thought to be able to come straight in and make plays. That hasn’t happened.
Having only appeared in three games and having just one reception for four yards, the jury is out on his future. And for patient Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, Tolbert’s struggles link back to the preseason, even as, he insists, the rookie is slowly making waves at practice.
“Going all the way back to Jalen's training camp, his hamstring injury and not really having an opportunity on special teams, so he was behind in that area,” McCarthy said. “But I think he’s made steady, steady progress as far as a receiver in the offense in that aspect of it. I think he’s continually getting better."
While the Cowboys wait on Tolbert, we also know they are at least "touching base'' on trade ideas. Ex-QB Troy Aikman thinks they need to make such a deal to help the Dak Prescott-led offense. Ex-receiver Michael Irvin is talking up Odell Beckham Jr.
We will surely learn more in NFL Week 8 Sunday when the Cowboys play host to the Bears on the eve of the Tuesday trade deadline. Maybe CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup prove to be enough ... or maybe Tolbert - who played mostly baseball until high school and might therefore be experiencing a learning curve - gets a chance to show something soon.
That chance might come now, as Noah Brown (foot) is among the Sunday inactives ...
“He had an excellent route down there in the two-minute (drill in practice) on Wednesday,” McCarthy said. “You see players flash like that and do something above the line like that. So, feel really good about what he’s doing offensively, just has to continue to improve on special teams, I think he’s getting better each week.”
While the first seven games haven’t gone exactly how Tolbert would have envisioned it, he is making progress. Dallas at one point was going to ask more of their rookie. ... but the climb continues to be uphill.
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Dallas Cowboys?
Follow @aschultz_15 on Twitter
Follow Cowboys / Fish on Facebook
Subscribe to the Cowboys Fish Report on YouTube for constant daily Cowboys live-stream podcasts and reports!
