One of the biggest question marks on the Dallas Cowboys offense going into 2024 is who exactly will be WR3. The likeliest answer, in the eyes of many, is third-year wide receiver Jalen Tolbert.
However, Tolbert, who's already making plays at training camp, needs to make a significant jump in Year 3 of his career. Although he essentially benched Michael Gallup last year, there's enough competition going on in the WR room for 24 career catches to be the difference maker in the coaches' future decision.
Fortunately, it sure sounds like for the second consecutive offseason, Tolbert is locked in and making huge strides to progress in time for the season. So much so that Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy didn't hold back discussing Tolbert's development.
" Everything ," McCarthy told reporters when asked what had Tolbert improved the most. "He's just really completed his game, just like any young player that comes in the league and his case in particular, after his rookie year he's like 'hey I got to get stronger and I've got to play more physical,' and and I'm not just talking run blocking, I'm talking about in his route running, particularly when he gets to the top of his stem, the breaking point."
McCarthy understands it isn't that Tolbert is aging like fine wine and magically getting better but rather a result of hard work, something other coaches and quarterback Dak Prescott have previously acknowledged about the former third rounder.
"I think (Tolbert) is taking a big big step and he's one of those young men that is in there every day, he's always looking for work, I mean, he's traveled the country in that off time, so does all the little things, and he's a true professional," McCarthy added. "I could recall his rookie his rookie training camp, on off days you (he was) looking for assistance and the detail on his note taking I mean he had a notebook that was pristine in that area, so now we're seeing the benefits of that."
While Tolbert has to fight for the role with KaVontae Turpin and Jalen Brooks, if not others too, he seems to have fully earned the coaches' trust. That will go a long way when the starting lineup is determined later on.
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