Jerry Jones decided to skip the Metroplex traffic on his way to practice Wednesday. And apparently, as Jane Slater reported on The Insiders, none of the vehicles on freeways headed in Frisco’s direction are expected to contain wide receivers named Davante Adams or Amari Cooper.
“What I’m being told from everyone that I’ve spoken to, and people aren’t going to like this, especially fans, is quote, ‘We like our guys, and the guys on the practice squad,’” said Slater, who covers the Cowboys for NFL Network. “It’s a sentiment that truly enrages the fans but that’s reality.”
Those guys obviously include leading receiver CeeDee Lamb, who has 20 catches for 316 yards and two touchdowns. But Brandin Cooks is now on the shelf for 1-3 weeks after developing a post-procedure infection in his knee. That leaves the Cowboys with a pair of young targets with high upside, Jalen Tolbert and Jalen Brooks, along with 5-foot-9 returner KaVontae Turpin and practice-squad player Ryan Flournoy.
Take away Lamb’s production and that group has 21 receptions for 267 yards and two touchdowns. But as Dallas (2-2) continues preparations for its trip to Pittsburgh (3-1) on Sunday Night Football (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC), Slater said quarterback Dak Prescott is excited about Tolbert.
“I asked Dak, where has his game grown, and he said ‘everywhere,’” Slater said, referring to Tolbert. “He said Tolbert truly wants to be the No. 1, No. 2 guy, and he could be and he should be. So, next-man-up mentality, here is your opportunity, Jalen Tolbert.”
Like Adams, Tolbert was a Day 2 selection in the draft. The third-year receiver caught a touchdown in the Cowboys’ Week 3 loss to Baltimore and is ready to emerge from Lamb’s shadow. But that won’t satisfy Dallas fans.
“Again, going back to some of those rumors,” Slater explained, “the issue is, yes, the Cowboys do have cap money, $22½ million of it, but they want to use that money, too. Keep in mind, they’ve got to figure out what to do with Micah Parsons after this season. They’ve also got a lot of dead money on expiring contracts to deal with. So, the money is a little funny in Dallas. They keep telling us they don’t have it, yet they went out and got Dak Prescott signed, they got CeeDee Lamb signed. So, I know it’s frustrating to a lot of people but right now it sounds like they will not be making any moves to go out and acquire any talent at the wide-receiver position.”
The edge-rusher position is more of a concern heading into the Pittsburgh game. Head coach Mike McCarthy said Wednesday the team is preparing to play without Parsons, who sustained a high-ankle sprain in a Week 4 road win over the Giants. Dallas also placed DeMarcus Lawrence on injured reserve this week, although he’s expected to avoid surgery on a Lisfranc injury to his right foot, also sustained in that Giants win.
Dallas is in the midst of a difficult stretch. Next week, the Cowboys host Detroit (3-1) and after a Week 7 bye travel both San Francisco (2-2) and Atlanta (2-2). Then, they host Philadelphia (2-2) and Washington (3-1).