The Dallas Cowboys’ offseason has been littered with new additions, including trade acquisition Brandin Cooks. What does that mean for 2022 NFL Draft pick Jalen Tolbert?
Last year the organization selected Tolbert in the third round, and the receiver turned heads by claiming he’d “change the culture.”
That didn’t happen.
After trading Amari Cooper to the Cleveland Browns, CeeDee Lamb needed a second receiving threat to help lighten his load in the Cowboys’ offense. The projection was that Tolbert would help.
But despite Michael Gallup nursing his way back from an ACL injury, Tolbert didn’t take on the significant role much of CowboysSI.com had anticipated.
Tolbert, who played more baseball than football as a kid, struggled in making the adjustment to the NFL
In his rookie campaign, Tolbert would record a mere two receptions and 12 receiving yards, being a healthy scratch more often than he started, a far cry from the success he demonstrated during his final collegiate season when he had 82 receptions for 1,474 and eight touchdowns.
As a result, following the addition of Cooks, the vultures are circling, with FanSided having speculated that Tolbert could be on his way out of Dallas.
“Tolbert is another player who is pretty expendable,” FS said.
Respectfully, that’s not really the way this works. And beyond the fact that we’re aware of no buzz inside The Star regarding this idea, here’s why: Right now, Tolbert would likely command little more than a latest-round draft pick in a trade. … and therefore there would be little point in giving up on a prospect who is athletic, hard-working, intelligent and earnest. …
Especially when he makes only about $900,000 in 2023.
FS points out that Dallas has done something like this before, and its true; receiver Ryan Switzer – a 2017 fourth-round pick – was a year later shipped off to the Raiders. But that was a very specific circumstance. Dallas had just added vet Tavon Austin (to do Switzer’s job) and liked Raiders defender Jihad Ward.
There is nothing like that on the horizon here, and therefore there is no reason to give up on Jalen Tolbert.
