Mike McCarthy may have accidentally revealed outcome of crucial position battle

The Dallas Cowboys were back in action Sunday. It was only preseason, but there was something very comforting about watching the Cowboys play in a game setting. With Mike McCarthy resting most of his starters and deploying a heavy rotation of second-stringers and roster-bubble players, it was no surprise that the on-field product wasn’t up to snuff.

In terms of big takeaways, Cowboys fans are collectively losing their minds over Trey Lance’s performance. McCarthy himself didn’t come away impressed by Lance. The former No. 3 overall pick has two more games to show what he can do, but Lance wasn’t the only player to take the field.

Rookie first- and second-round picks Tyler Guyton and Marshawn Kneeland were two of the best players on the field. However, Guyton and Kneeland are both locked into their roles. Guyton will start at left tackle, especially in light of Chuma Edoga’s injury, while Kneeland will see plenty of snaps as the top backup DE behind Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence.

It will take the remaining two preseason games to determine some prominent position battles, but McCarthy may have revealed the winner of a big one on Sunday without even knowing it.

The WR3 battle was among the most intriguing storylines to watch in training camp. However, it’s clear that Jalen Tolbert has won the job after he didn’t suit up on Sunday. It would have been one thing if Tolbert played one drive or two drives.

I’m expecting Jalen Tolbert to get a couple drives, Jalen Brooks to get a little more. But expect Tyron Billy-Johnson, Jalen Cropper, Ryan Flournoy, Racey McMath and others to get the bulk of the work. https://t.co/EXdaymjom5

— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisDC) August 11, 2024

=”_w8chcel0r”>The fact Tolbert didn’t play all but confirms he’s the Cowboys’ third receiver. A third-round pick in 2021, Tolbert has been one of the stars of camp. He’s been Dak Prescott’s No. 2 target behind Brandin Cooks and he stood out again in Thursday’s joint-practice against the Rams.

Prescott is complimentary of all of his teammates, but his recent praise of Tolbert proves that the receiver has made serious strides in his development.

“I told him, your role is to go show that you can be a No. 1 receiver,” said Prescott. “At minimal, a No. 2 receiver. I don’t want to put that pressure on him, but we spent a lot of time together this offseason. My trust is super, super high in him. I trust him with any route, wherever it is, against whoever.”

It’s clear that Prescott expects big things of Tolbert this season. The 25-year-old eventually surpassed Michael Gallup on the depth chart last season. In 17 games (six starts), he caught 22 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns.

While Cowboys fans wanted to see a little more from Tolbert, 13 of his receptions recorded a first down. He averaged 12.2 yards per catch, only dropped one pass and had a 93.8 passer rating when targeted, per PFF. It was a small sample size, but the South Alabama product made the most of his targets.

Now, Tolbert seems primed for a third-year leap. There hasn’t been any mention of him battling an injury. His healthy scratch designation was seemingly McCarthy’s way of congratulating him on a job well done this offseason.