Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert celebrates his touchdown catch with offensive tackle Tyler Smith Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Jalen Tolbert gets major benefit from Cowboys' George Pickens trade

Originally posted on Dallas Cowboys on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated May 23, 2025 12:06 PM ET

The Dallas Cowboys ' wide receiver room is undergoing a shakeup after the team traded for George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The trade certainly changes things for CeeDee Lamb, giving him another top target to play off of, but things are also altered for Jalen Tolbert, who was originally the No. 2 wide receiver.

Though adding Pickens could result in fewer targets for Tolbert, NFL.com writer Gennaro Filice believes the trade could actually help the 26-year-old wideout.

"One of the immediate benefits of the George Pickens trade: Jalen Tolbert stops getting hate he doesn’t deserve. A third-round pick out of South Alabama back in 2022, Tolbert unsurprisingly needed a couple seasons to find his bearings in the NFL," Filice wrote.

"He broke through in Year 3, though, catching 49 balls for 610 yards and seven touchdowns. Not to say that’s eye-popping production, but it represents encouraging growth. And yet, through the first four months of this year, Tolbert’s name became something of a punchline when Cowboys critics rhetorically asked, 'Who are Dallas’ weapons beyond CeeDee Lamb?' With Pickens’ arrival as the new WR2, Tolbert is a more-than-functional WR3, so everyone can get off the man’s case."

Tolbert will also benefit from a healthy Dak Prescott, who played in just eight games last season before suffering a hamstring injury.

Perhaps the added attention to Lamb and Pickens will result in easier plays for Tolbert to make. He may not get the volume he was getting a year ago, but he may have an easier time on the field in the upcoming campaign.

This article first appeared on Dallas Cowboys on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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