The Dallas Cowboys lost their Week 17 matchup to the Arizona Cardinals, but it didn't stop there. Wide Receiver Michael Gallup caught a 21-yard touchdown pass late in the second quarter. Unfortunately for the fourth-year receiver, he suffered a torn ACL in the process.
Gallup was put on injured reserved and missed the Cowboys' wild-card playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers. After a month of waiting, Gallup will finally have surgery to repair his knee next week according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News.
The former third-round pick had a rough fourth campaign in the NFL. Before his knee injury, he suffered a calf strain in the Cowboys' season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was sidelined for seven games. This came at the worst possible time for Gallup seeing as he was in a contract year in 2021 and was looking to have his best season yet so he could up his worth in free agency.
Gallup totaled 35 receptions for 445 yards and two touchdowns for the year which was not an ideal outing for him. It was his second consecutive season under 1,000 yards (had 1,107 yards in 2019) but his 843 yards in 2020 was mostly due to the quarterback carousel in Dallas after Dak Prescott suffered a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle in Week 5 and missed the remainder of the year.
The Cowboys have a big decision to make regarding Gallup. He's one of 21 unrestricted free agents and many believe his price tag could ultimately end his time in Dallas. However, the Cowboys' No. 1 at wide receiver, Amari Cooper, has a large contract and if he's released or traded that would create $16 million in cap space to bring Gallup back.
Other teams may be cautious when it comes to signing Gallup to a lucrative long-term deal after multiple injuries this season, and it may lead to the Cowboys being able to remain him on a short-term prove-it deal even if Cooper remains on the roster.
Gallup's future in Dallas will be one of the biggest storylines for America's Team when free agency kicks off in March.
