So what do we think about Tolbert?

[MarcusRock]

Never liked him. Has done respectable this season to avoid the bust label but I wouldn't stop looking around for options and see what he will produce in his contract year.

 

[Gonzomandela01]

Receivers depend on QBs so, hard to really know, he seems to be improving but in my eyes he will be a career third option, nothing wrong with that.

We need us a 2nd option to Lamb for real.

 

[J_Allen]

He's hot and cold. I think he could be a really good slot receiver if he could get the penalties and drops fixed. We'll hear all about how he's looking to make a huge leap in year four. We've heard it in the past 2 years.

 

[Landryhat73]

He never creates separation! Every catch is contested because of this. My view of Tolbert is he needed to develop into a #2. Because he offers nothing on special teams. Think he will play out next year and become a free agent.

 

[bluemagic4ever]

I like Tolbert. He is a tough assessment but I also think due to coming from a smaller college and limited route running in college the transition to an NFL offense has been an adjustment for him. He definitely shows potential. I think he is going to be a late bloomer but he would be my number 3 WR at this point. I feel like in the right situation he can be what L. Robinson and P. Crayton was to us.

 

[bluemagic4ever]

He's hot and cold. I think he could be a really good slot receiver if he could get the penalties and drops fixed. We'll hear all about how he's looking to make a huge leap in year four. We've heard it in the past 2 years.

Yes, thats the frustrating part....we have been waiting.

 

[kskboys]

He never creates separation! Every catch is contested because of this. My view of Tolbert is he needed to develop into a #2. Because he offers nothing on special teams. Think he will play out next year and become a free agent.

Doesn't possess the skillset to develop into a #2. You don't develop just because you want to.

 

[kskboys]

I like Tolbert. He is a tough assessment but I also think due to coming from a smaller college and limited route running in college the transition to an NFL offense has been an adjustment for him. He definitely shows potential. I think he is going to be a late bloomer but he would be my number 3 WR at this point. I feel like in the right situation he can be what L. Robinson and P. Crayton was to us.

No. He lacks their skillset.

 

[kskboys]

Stats actually show his biggest issue
He isn’t explosive at all (speed or wiggle) and his YPC is always going to be below average

Yup. This was in his scouting report. Jerry obviously doesn't even know what a scouting report is or how it pertains.

 

[blueblood70]

47 rec. 890 yards 18.9, 6 TDs (JW, Lions)
39 rec. 668 yards 17.1, 8 TDs (RB, Ravens)
39 rec. 543 yards 13.9, 4 TDs (RD, Packers)
44 rec. 552 yards 12.5, 2 TDs (TL, SEA)
58 rec. 727 yards 12.5, 7 TDs (TH, Bengals)
42 rec. 482 yards 11.5, 6 TDs (JT, Cowboys

I've placed Jalen Tolbert stats with other WR2s in some of the leagues best passing offenses. (Tyler Lockett is the only WR3).

I'm haven't been high on Tolbert from day 1, but I'm encouraged by these comparisons. We know Dallas offense hasn't pushed the ball much, so JT is a possession WR hence the low ypc and yardage. So, I have to ask myself will this guy do better with a more modern offense or even just another year to grow? Either way, I don't think Tolbert is far off from being a WR2, but Cowboys fans want 3 WR1 types, which, isn't feasible with Dak n CeeDee's cap numbers.

I agree maybe with more time and a better office of coordinator with better or modern route trees scheming people open and him getting confidence because I think he’s getting there he drops him the easy passes make some of the more difficult ones that gives me hope that he can get the drops in the stuff you’re expected to do fixed because if you can make the tough ones you sure can fix your drop problems on the easier ones with confidence and time on the field and the one thing that we’ve learned there is a lot of back ups on this team I got considerably better since a lot of guys got hurt and they finally got more reps and now we see what they can do there is always some encouragement for sure

 

[bigE79]

I like Tolbert and think he’s a great asset to the team.

Would love a burner at WR2 to take the top off of defenses.

We have one,his name is Turpin yet never used him for that ever when dAK was playing.

 

[Robster8989]

Yeah hes mostly a comeback route guy and needs to develop another plus skill to really be a legitimate 2nd option in the pass game. What the previous posted failed to add to the stats were how many routes each of the listed players ran in order to get those yards and touches....

Higgins - 363 routes
Williams - 413 routes
Bateman - 404 routes
Dobbs - 329 routes
Lockett - 505 routes
Tolbert - 508 routes

Tolbert has the worst numbers with the most routes ran. The only real comparable player there is Tyler Lockett who is more of the 3rd option with Seattle, is north of 30, and his number suggest he is in decline as his Y/G have gone down each year since 2021.

Thanks for posting this and pointing it out.
When I first saw the comparison I was like you can't seriously think Tolbert is in the Jamison Williams/Tee Higgins/Rashod Bateman category, can you? Much less Dobbs and Lockett. He is not anywhere close to the threat of those players. He's been our defacto #2 most of the year and several of those others have missed time, so I appreciate you posting route numbers. Those teams all have running games too, which tends to keep route numbers lower.
I like the kid, think he has potential and is a solid #3 type, though I'd hoped for more with where he was drafted. We need another threat at WR. I think Cooks will be gone, and Tolbert has another year on his rookie deal, so he'll be part of the group at least next season, but we clearly need a better running game, and another top threat at WR to be really good offensively. I'd love it if Tolbert could be that guy just don't think he is. Also think Rush's style of play leads to receptions just not a lot besides that, though I must say Tolbert's TD total is commendable.

 

[baltcowboy]

I have a hard time evaluating this guy. He has made some huge plays this season like the winning TD in Pitt and some big time jump ball catches - he was good again against the Bucs, but he goes nearly silent for games at a time.

Tolbert’s on track for a respectable season for a #3 receiver, but for most of the year he’s been our defacto #2:

47 receptions - 550 yds - 6 TDs

He does not have a great standout trait, but seems to do everything at an acceptable level. I think by year 3 we can say a player is who he is and likely won’t develop much more, so I think what we’re looking at is his peak.

Moving forward I view him as an average 3rd or 4th receiver that has a place on this team, but he should not stop the Cowboys from looking to add a quality receiver or two above him on the depth chart in

In the modern NFL, your 3rd receiver is essentially a starter given how much time teams spend in 11 personnel, and I think Dallas really needs to upgrade at WR 2 and 3 in order to field a truly competitive roster. Do you think Tolbert fits in long term?

You let Tolbert play out his contract and hope you get a 6th round comp pick for him.

 

[Chuck 54]

He should be depth only. Teams are sometimes covering him with safeties or LBs. He can’t explode out of routes and gets no separation. On his TD on Sunday, he was covered by a LB and it still took a perfectly placed throw to get the TD.

 

[Whyjerry]

He is a 3/4 type of guy. Decent. Not a difference maker. Dallas needs a 2 that compliments Lamb and Tolbert. They need a pure burner.

 

[CCBoy]

Marcus Mosher

@Marcus_Mosher


5 highest-graded players for the #Cowboys in Week 16 via
@PFF

WR Jalen Tolbert - 80.5 2.
DT Linval Joseph - 80.2 3.
WR CeeDee Lamb - 79.4 4.
LB Marist Liufau - 74.1 5.
WR Ryan Flournoy - 72.6

 

[kskboys]

Thanks for posting this and pointing it out.
When I first saw the comparison I was like you can't seriously think Tolbert is in the Jamison Williams/Tee Higgins/Rashod Bateman category, can you? Much less Dobbs and Lockett. He is not anywhere close to the threat of those players. He's been our defacto #2 most of the year and several of those others have missed time, so I appreciate you posting route numbers. Those teams all have running games too, which tends to keep route numbers lower.
I like the kid, think he has potential and is a solid #3 type, though I'd hoped for more with where he was drafted. We need another threat at WR. I think Cooks will be gone, and Tolbert has another year on his rookie deal, so he'll be part of the group at least next season, but we clearly need a better running game, and another top threat at WR to be really good offensively. I'd love it if Tolbert could be that guy just don't think he is. Also think Rush's style of play leads to receptions just not a lot besides that, though I must say Tolbert's TD total is commendable.

Tolbert simply lacks the skillset to be a #2. Jerry needs to read scouting reports on players, but he's apparently disdainful of anything like that.

 

[bluemagic4ever]

No. He lacks their skillset.

No. He lacks their skillset.

He has a skillset, doesnt have to be theirs. I was comparing the roles , you dont have to possess their skillset to fit their role. He is a 3rd option right now at best. He is a possession WR, who is still developing. I remember when Crayton was the 3rd WR and he was solid, but when there were injuries he got reps at 2nd WR and he just wasnt that guy. Same situation. Dallas needs to use him better in the role he is vs taking him out the game or giving up on him. Which is another issue with MM and the offense, understanding what you have and what they strengths are and using them vs trying to beg hole into what you do.

 

[thunderpimp91]

Marcus Mosher
@Marcus_Mosher


5 highest-graded players for the #Cowboys in Week 16 via
@PFF

WR Jalen Tolbert - 80.5 2.
DT Linval Joseph - 80.2 3.
WR CeeDee Lamb - 79.4 4.
LB Marist Liufau - 74.1 5.
WR Ryan Flournoy - 72.6

Not to knock Tolbert after a solid game, but snap counts are needed for perspective here....Tolbert only ran 13 routes this past week in getting that high score.

Since week 11 against Houston his snaps on passing downs have went from:

Houston - 55
Washington - 38
NYG - 32
Cincinnati - 24
Carolina - 15
Tampa Bay - 13

Hes clearly being phased out of the offense both as Cooks has come back as well as others like Turpin, and even Flournoy this past week have gotten more time. Plus simply not using as much 11 personnel seems to be on the upswing for Dallas, although I dont have any actual numbers to confirm.

 

[kskboys]

He has a skillset, doesnt have to be theirs. I was comparing the roles , you dont have to possess their skillset to fit their role. He is a 3rd option right now at best. He is a possession WR, who is still developing. I remember when Crayton was the 3rd WR and he was solid, but when there were injuries he got reps at 2nd WR and he just wasnt that guy. Same situation. Dallas needs to use him better in the role he is vs taking him out the game or giving up on him. Which is another issue with MM and the offense, understanding what you have and what they strengths are and using them vs trying to beg hole into what you do.

Of course. However, what he lacks is the burst and agility to consistently create separation and doesn't particularly have great deep speed. So, what are you pointing at to make you think he can be a #2, or a high quality 3?