Dallas Cowboys waiving third-year WR Jalen Brooks

The Dallas Cowboys are waiving third-year wide receiver Jalen Brooks, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Brooks, a 2023 seventh-round selection out of South Carolina, is a candidate to return to the team’s practice squad.

Brooks was battling Ryan Flournoy for the final spot in the receiver room. He showed flashes in the preseason, five catches for 72 yards and a score, but it wasn’t enough to secure a spot on the 53-man roster.

Brooks appeared in 21 games over the last two seasons, making 18 catches for 241 yards and one touchdown. The bulk of his production came in 14 games this past season, 12 receptions for 177 yards.

Before entering the NFL, Brooks played three seasons for the Gamecocks. His best season came in 2022, when he tallied 33 receptions for 504 yards and one touchdown. The 25-year-old had previous stops at Wingate and Tarleton State.

Cowboys cut Jalen Brooks, WR room appears to be set

Earlier Tuesday, the Cowboys cut Traeshon Holden and placed Jonathan Mingo on injured reserve. At least for now, it appears Dallas will begin the season with a wideout room of CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin and Flournoy.

There’s a mix there of proven production and some upside, so the Cowboys have to feel good about their room ahead of next Thursday’s Week 1 road contest against the Philadelphia Eagles. Now, Dallas will see if they can get cornerback Trevon Diggs on the field for the regular season opener.

Diggs, who underwent an ACL repair in 2023 and a chondral tissue graft procedure in January, participated in practice for the first time this offseason on Monday. Though Diggs just came off the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list on Sunday, he isn’t ruling out playing in Week 1.

“Physically, I don’t have any limitations,” Diggs said, via Garrett Podell of CBS Sports. “It’s really just ramping up the conditioning part, getting back to football speed, getting back to in-game speed. That’s pretty much it.”