3 Dallas Cowboys entering a make-or-break year in 2024

There's a lot of pressure in Frisco this offseason. The Dallas Cowboys have won 12 games in each of the past three seasons but saw each campaign end heartbreakingly. Twice, the San Francisco 49ers shut them down in a defensive battle, and then last year, the Green Bay Packers ran up the score in a Wild Card victory.

Dallas is going to need to figure out how to win in the postseason and if they don't, major changes could be on the way. Quarterback Dak Prescott and head coach Mike McCarthy are in the final year of their respective deals and might be on the way out if the results don't change.

They're not the only ones feeling the pressure though. Here we look at three players entering make-or-break seasons with America's Team.

3. Jalen Tolbert, Wide Receiver

When the Cowboys quit force-feeding Michael Gallup last year, the offense improved. Jalen Tolbert was a big part of that as he proved more reliable than Gallup. While he had just two catches as a rookie, the South Alabama product had 22 catches for 268 yards and two touchdowns in his second season.

Tolbert enters a critical third season with more pressure on his shoulders than ever. With Gallup released, Tolbert moves into the WR3 spot behind CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks. He could face competition in the form of KaVontae Turpin but Tolbert is the more well-rounded player on offense.

If he wants to continue to have a starring role, he needs to rise to the challenge this year. Dallas has plenty of weapons but they need their third wideout to take advantage of defenses focusing too heavily on Lamb and Cooks. If Tolbert can do this, they should be just fine. If not, their passing attack could be an issue – especially since their running game could be a nightmare.