The rise of Dallas Cowboys receiver Jalen Tolbert isn’t the least bit surprising to his coach, Robert Prince. And speaking of “non-surprises,” guess what Jerry Jones’ trade deadline position is?
FRISCO – In this space, we’ve been explaining for months what this year’s Dallas Cowboys are planning to do at the Nov. 5 NFL trade deadline. Their desire to “keep our powder dry” for 2025 – another way of saying they intend to “Blow It Up” after this year in a salary-cap-fueled remodeling of the roster (along with a start-over of the coaching staff) – made their likely inaction obvious.
But now, suddenly, CowboysCountry.com isn’t alone in saying it. Jerry Jones is openly admitting it as well.
The Cowboys owner, who went viral on Tuesday morning during a segment on 105.3 The Fan in which his anger became ugly performance art as he essentially threatened to have the talk-show hosts fired, later in the day landed in Atlanta for the NFL owners meetings. … and his three-word answer about the trade deadline deserves to go viral, too.
Innocently enough, The Athletic asked Jones if Dallas plans on being active before the trade deadline.
“Not thinking that,” Jones answered.
And now does Cowboys Nation get it? You have your frustration with your “soft” 3-3 roster and you have your hopes to survive the coming gauntlet as following this bye week they face the San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Texans and Washington Commanders over the course of five weeks.
And you have the guys on the roster now who figure to be here still after a coming season of change. And so, maybe you invest your time in studying and rooting for, say, receiver Jalen Tolbert.
Tolbert is on the road to becoming a viable member of this offense, and he’s taking every opportunity to show he deserves it.
After a first season that saw just two catches for 12 yards, Tolbert, with the big-brotherly help of Brandin Cooks, has gone about his business to the point where he is now a regular starter and is producing when the football comes his way.
Jalen’s crowning moment was the game-winning touchdown grab in the 20-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. And for receivers coach Robert Prince, what Jalen is doing on the field isn’t the least bit surprising.
“I’ll say this, for everybody in the building, it’s no surprise how Jalen’s doing,” Prince said. “JT, he’s a very hard worker, very conscientious, puts in time before after practice, he studies at home, and always working on his craft. So when his numbers called, he was ready for the moment.”
Dallas Cowboys WR Jalen Tolbert after catching the game-winning touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
Much has been made of Tolbert’s relationship with Cooks and what the veteran has done to help unlock Jalen’s potential. Add to that Tolbert’s famous “notebook” that made headlines at training camp last year as the young receiver did everything he could to make his mark with the organization. Well, now it’s paying off.
Through six weeks, among other Cowboys, Tolbert is second in yards (290), third in receptions (24), and joint-leader in touchdowns with two. Also, he’s already surpassed his receptions and yards totals from last season, and we are just six games into the year.
While those numbers are solid, perhaps another feather in Tolbert’s cap is that he’s been consistent in 2024. He’s had two games with 40+ receiving yards and two with 80+ yards. That’ll work.
Now, are the Cowboys playoff-bound with Tolbert at No. 2? Maybe not. Is reliance on him exactly what fans want to see? Maybe not. But amid all the turbulence that has surrounded the organization, one bright spot has been how Jalen has developed when the opportunity has presented itself. And while the “casuals” are still allowing themselves to be fooled about Dallas trade rumors, smart Cowboys fans know better – and might as well enjoy watching the development of the likes of Tolbert.