Cowboys' Brandin Cooks predicts breakout year for Jalen Tolbert as WR3: 'The time is now for him'

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert is heading into Year 3 in the NFL, and with more snaps to go around, he’s on a mission to prove he can be a consistent asset for his team.

“That’s my goal, to go out and prove to myself; I am who I say I am,” Tolbert said Thursday, via ESPN. “Obviously, you hear that all the time. But just go out there and chase greatness. I have two guys who ride along with me in CeeDee (Lamb) and (Brandin) Cooks, and I’m looking forward to following in their footsteps and doing what I can to create value on this team.”

Lamb and Cooks are the established one-two punch of the Dallas offense, but with the release of Michael Gallup, who was third among Cowboys WRs in receiving yards in 2023, and a lack of action in the draft or free agency to add anyone, there’s a void at the No. 3 spot that Tolbert is poised to fill in 2024.

The product of South Alabama was selected in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He only had two catches in his debut season, but his involvement grew the following season. He was included in all 17 games, making 22 receptions for 268 yards and scoring two touchdowns as a substitute.

Tolbert has expressed his desire to continue developing and make a significant contribution to the Cowboys offense. He’s been diligently working this offseason to ensure he’s prepared for a bigger role, as he stated.

These efforts involve collaborating with Cooks, who has a decade of experience to impart to his teammate.

“Having him in my corner is special, because he’s been doing this for a long time,” said Tolbert. “One thing I’m certain of is that he won’t let me fail, and I won’t let myself fail either. This is a great situation to be in.”

Cooks expressed his faith in Tolbert’s potential to excel given a bigger role. He asserted that Tolbert’s hard work and dedication indicate that it’s the perfect time for him to shine.

Cooks has already noticed a marked rise in Tolbert’s self-confidence and faith in his skills during the beginning of last week’s offseason training activities. He anticipates this will carry over once the Cowboys begin their games in the fall.

“The way that he’s able to talk about a route or the way he’s able to tell the quarterback the way he sees things, he’s not shy anymore,” Cooks said. “He’s able to go up to Dak (Prescott) and say, ‘Hey, I seen it this way,’ and it’s awesome to see him grow in that aspect.

“He’s prepared to proceed. Regardless of what expectations await him, he’s certain to exceed them greatly. He’s ready.”