It's never too early to think about the future. The Dallas Cowboys know that better than anyone as they prepare for this week's NFL Scouting Combine. While all eyes are on the best players in this year's draft class, it's the forgotten and overlooked players that the Cowboys have the talent to discover this offseason. How often have the Cowboys made headlines by selecting a draft candidate that many had a much lower opinion of before proving everyone wrong? Travis Frederick, Tyler Smith, anyone?
The Cowboys are skilled at stepping in at the right time and finding the right players to bring big benefits when no one saw it coming. The Cowboys have several players who could surprise many and make important contributions in the coming seasons. The breakout candidates for 2024 are as follows.
Jalen Tolbert, wide receiver
For Jalen Tolbert, his NFL career got off to a rocky start. Tolbert was initially expected to be an immediate role player within the Cowboys' offense, but his rookie season was less than stellar. Tolbert's first season in the NFL is remembered more for costly penalties than big plays. Tolbert made some progress in his second season with a modest 22 receptions for 268 yards and two scores. As you can see from the other players on this list, Tolbert has a chance and could break out in 2024. Last year, Michael Gallup had 34 receptions for 418 yards. This isn't much better than Tolbert, but Gallup has a $13.8 million cap charge this season while Tolbert is scheduled for $1.1 million.
At this stage in their careers, the difference in productivity between both players is almost negligible. Tolbert will likely be given more due to Gallup's significant salary cap losses. Tolbert has already cut back on Gallup's minutes, with him playing about 40 percent of the team's snaps on offense compared to 51 percent for Gallup. Certainly, the Cowboys could be in the market to take a wide receiver like Xavier Leggett or Johnny Wilson in the first three rounds of the draft. But if they're happy with Tolbert's progress fitting into the ensemble of CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks, Tolbert is poised for a big year with Prescott in Year 2 of a modified passing attack. Probably.
Brock Hoffman, IOL
Brock Hoffman had to work hard to impress the Cowboys coaching staff. Hoffman signed with the Cowboys' practice squad in 2022 and was added to the active roster last September. Hoffman is a big, stocky player who stands 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 322 pounds. Then he makes a mean play to end the block. His performance in the final game of the season in Washington was an eye-opener in terms of what he could do against the Cowboys' struggling running game going forward. Hoffman has the versatility to play center. Current starting center Tyler Biadasz is a free agent and could be headed for greener pastures when the market opens. The way things play out is that the Cowboys acquire a bridge player at center, similar to Biadasz, with Hoffman competing for a starting job or spending a late draft pick on a center.
This year, going back to the preseason, we've got a lot of quality tape packed with high-quality, swinging interior backup Brock Hoffman. Great finisher with a combination of set and pass protection. pic.twitter.com/gg7wUXdVpa
— Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) January 9, 2024
The Cowboys are making Hoffman play for $985,000 this season, and if they like him, he will retain exclusive free agent rights in 2025. If Hoffman can provide starting-level play, he could have tremendous financial value for the Cowboys. It provides them with a large amount of financial freedom in the short term. Hoffman's breakout could shake things up along the interior of the offensive line.
fannie thomas, safe
Like Hoffman, Juannie Thomas is also a player who entered the league as an undrafted player before being selected as a member of the active roster. For those who closely watched the team during training camp last season, Thomas was a player who shined all summer, making timely plays and being in the right place at the right time. When playing in zone coverage, Thomas had a good understanding of route combinations and read quarterbacks' eyes throughout training camp. He contributed primarily as a special teamer during the season, blocking a kick that was returned for a touchdown in the season opener against the New York Giants.
As far as defensive prospects go, Thomas is a player with a lot of potential. He has good size (6'3″, 217 pounds) and the physical makeup to make an impact near his line of scrimmage. If the Cowboys do not re-sign safety Jaylon Kearse, there will be an opportunity for Thomas to take on a more regular role within new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer's defense. If he has another strong offseason, Thomas could go down that path.
