It seems that a Dallas Cowboys draft pick is quickly reaching the end of the road with the news that receiver Jalen Brooks has been placed on the practice squad's injured list. The news was reported by NBC's Aaron Wilson.
Brooks was drafted by the Cowboys in the 7th round of the 2023 draft. In the first two years of his career, the receiver caught 18 passes for 241 yards and a lone touchdown. However, depth improvements quickly pushed Brooks off the active roster and into a practice squad role. And now he's likely going to be squeezed out of even that job.
Before the injury, Brooks had managed to play only one game this season, despite CeeDee Lamb's injury. With Lamb, Jalen Tolbert, Jonathan Mingo and KaVontae Turpin all already ahead of him on the depth chart last year and George Pickens and Ryan Flournoy joining that group in 2025, there's simply no room for Brooks in the mix. Now it's not just his active-roster tenure that could be coming to an end.
Cowboys Draft Pick Jalen Brooks Time in Dallas Clearly Coming to Frustrating End
Even the practice squad is difficult to find a spot for Brooks with Jalen Marino-Cropper, Parris Campbell, and Traeshon Holden all currently on the unit. Each of these three is a more interesting depth option than Brooks. As unfortunate as it is for Brooks, it appears that this injury is going to end his time with the franchise.
There simply hasn't been enough production or upside to continue to keep the pass catcher rostered. This doesn't come as a surprise when you consider the fact that a season ago, the Cowboys were desperate to find depth at the position. Both Lamb and Dak Prescott dealt with injuries, leaving Dallas in a quandary offensively. Still, Brooks wasn't able to take advantage and find a way to carve out a contributing role.
It seems that was the final straw as Dallas worked to improve its depth at the position throughout the offseason and now appears poised to move on. Waiving Brooks with an injury settlement is very much on the table with the myriad of injuries the Cowboys are dealing with. It is time to turn the page and attempt to utilize the practice squad spot for an option with a chance to contribute.
For the Cowboys, this isn't a huge shock based on the fact that Brooks was selected in the draft's final round. As nice as it would've been to find a surprise contributor, it was always a bit of a shot in the dark. It's one that clearly isn't working out in the Cowboys' favor as Brooks' exit quickly approaches.