Cowboys’ offensive X-factor happens to be entering a career-defining season

Sometimes, draft picks take a little longer to develop than one would hope, but that's better than not developing at all. What's important is that there is an improvement week after week and year after year. That's what we've seen thus far from Dallas Cowboys wideout, Jalen Tolbert.

After being drafted in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, the hope was that the youngster would step up as a rookie and contribute to filling in the void of Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson. Talk out of minicamp suggested the South Alabama wideout could step in as WR2 to start the season.

Those predictions were far off, with Tolbert stepping on the field with the offensive unit only 89 times and seeing three targets all year as a rookie. Last year, with more time to smoothen out his raw talent, the wideout jumped to 477 snaps and 36 targets. With the WR3 spot open for the taking this season, Jalen Tolbert's opportunity and readiness are as good as they've ever been.

No, he does not need to develop into a WR2, at least not yet, but solidifying his position as the go-to WR3 will pay dividends for him and the future of his career. No team develops wideouts like the Cowboys.

This season will define the future of Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert

Dallas has a history of developing depth wideouts and turning them into stars, such as Miles Austin, have them stick around as a reliable part of the team, like Cole Beasley and Patrick Crayton, or pave the way for them to cash a cheque with another team like Cedrick Wilson and Noah Brown.

Brandin Cooks is in the final year of his contract at 31 years old and coming off his worst season since 2019. His 657 receiving yard total is inflated by a 173-yard game against the New York Giants in Week 10. Take that away, and he had 50+ yards in two out of 15 games and 484 yards total. Not enough from Dallas' WR2.

It's hard to envision Cooks' career falling off after six 1,000-yard seasons with four different teams. From what we saw last year, Cooks did not look like the same player who kept defensive backs on their heels. That may have something to do with an early-season MCL sprain, but the Cowboys need players to step up if they are to finally make a deep playoff run.

Cooks is not getting any younger, and it's only a matter of time until a young gun takes over his spot. A supposed route-running specialist like Tolbert is the perfect candidate. Someone who can reliably get open and be a safe option, even if it caps their ceiling for now.

If Jalen Tolbert can take another step this year and have anywhere between 400-600 receiving yards and a handful of touchdowns like Cedrick Wilson, Patrick Crayton, and Cole Beasley did in their third year with the Cowboys, there is no doubt the team would consider looking at him as a potential WR2 for next year.

If the South Alabama product can't take the opportunity and run with it, then owner Jerry Jones has another trick up his sleeve with youngsters Jalen Brooks and Ryan Flournoy. The ball is in the air, let's hope Tolbert can come down with it and cement his future. Dak believes he can, so maybe we should too.

More Cowboys news and analysis