The Cowboys signed the wrong wide receiver a few years ago, and since that day, Michael Gallup’s contract has been one of the worst Dallas has made. In Gallup’s last three seasons, he has not had a season over 500 yards. Yet they signed him in March 2022 to a five-year, $62 million dollar extension.
Twelve times. That is the number Gallup had two or fewer catches in a game this season. Three games he didn’t even register a single catch.
Funny enough, his best game came in the playoffs against the Packers. He had six receptions for 103 yards. That doesn’t matter, though. He isn’t worth 60 million dollars.
Gallup Should Be Designated a Post-June 1st Cut
The Cowboys, facing a league-wide 2024 cap ceiling of $242 million, are currently about $20 million “over the cap.” They don’t have to worry about being at or under the cap until the start of the NFL business year, which is March 13th.
They will have plenty of ways to make this work. The first will be by reworking the deal of right tackle Terence Steele.
The big one, though, is if they cut Michael Gallup post-June 1st, they can save over $9 million in space.
It’s time to bounce him.
We’ve seen enough since his ACL tear, and he is not getting back to having over 1,000 yards like he did a few years ago.
Trading Amari Cooper and signing Gallup has been one of the worst moves this team has made in recent memory. The problem is Jerry Jones LOVES being loyal to his players, and it’s biting him in the behind right now.
I would cut Gallup and draft a younger, cheaper wide receiver in the 2nd or 3rd round of this year’s draft.
You get a younger player — who hasn’t had a knee injury — and you get him for $60 million dollars cheaper than the price tag for Michael Gallup’s services right now.
Going Forward
The Cowboys have Jalen Tolbert, who gave the team more production than Gallup. With all that said, this team will have to pay Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons.
Dallas will have to make room somehow, and let’s be real — they are not getting rid of Prescott.
Yes, he stinks in the playoffs, but you’re not going to find anyone in the draft as late as pick 24 or in free agency that will come in and produce like him.
He was a finalist for MVP. I mean, he gets the Cowboys to the playoffs every year.
Michael Gallup is replaceable.
The window for this team is closing and there is no point in keeping $60 million dollars on the roster when he can’t even produce 500 yards.
The next few months are going to be interesting.
Mike McCarthy is coaching for his career in 2024. Dan Quinn might be back if he doesn’t get a head coaching job.
This team has some issues they need to fix, but it starts with clearing enough room to be able to sign the stars they have right now.
Thanks for the one good season, Gallup, you will not be missed my friend.