The Cowboys hyped wide receiver Jalen Tolbert after drafting him in 2022, citing the third-round pick as a reason they wouldn’t miss Amari Cooper. They did miss Cooper, at least partly because Tolbert didn’t live up to anyone’s expectations.
Tolbert appeared in only eight games, playing 89 offensive snaps and 53 on special teams and making only two catches for 12 yards.
The Cowboys again have high expectations for Tolbert heading into the 2023 season.
“We had high expectations last year for him,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Tuesday. “He’s living up those we had for him last year this year without equivocation.”
Tolbert has locked up the fourth wide receiver spot behind CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks and Michael Gallup, executive vice president Stephen Jones said Tuesday.
“Tolbert’s locked down that four spot and certainly shown that he can be productive for us,” Stephen Jones said, via Nick Harris of the team website. “Dak [Prescott] is very comfortable with him.”
Tolbert has six catches for 95 yards and a touchdown in two preseason games. He had six catches for 44 yards in the 2022 preseason.
“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,” Stephen Jones said. “That third-round pick has turned into something that we’re going to [love to] have.”