The Dallas Cowboys have a lot of decisions to make regarding their roster in 2022. With over 20 free agents, the Cowboys will have a vastly different team next season, and one of the biggest names they have to decide on is Wide Receiver Michael Gallup who played on the last year of his rookie deal in 2021.
Since joining the Cowboys in 2018 as a third-round pick, Gallup has established himself as the team's primary deep threat. He's dazzled fans with his ability to make contested catches and his uncanny knack for spectacular toe-drag grabs on the sidelines. However, not only is he set to hit the open market, he's set to have surgery at the end of the month to repair a torn ACL he suffered in the Cowboys Week 18 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
So, what's next for Gallup in Dallas?
Before the injury, many believed that Gallup would command too high of a price tag for the Cowboys to retain him. However, the NFL salary cap for the 2022 season is projected to be around 208.2 million which is a significant increase from the 182.5 million in 2021.
With those extra dollars, the Cowboys could bring Gallup back. Also, his injury will give teams who desire to acquire him cause to pause considering next season is just eight months away and his rehab could go past the start of it. So, although Gallup's knee injury was unfortunate and hobbled the Cowboys' offense to some degree, it increased the chances of him returning on maybe a one-year prove-it deal before hitting the market again in 2023.
Gallup may be the third option in Dallas behind Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb, but he would be the No. 1 option on a lot of other teams. In a competitive sport like football, every player wants to be on the field as much as possible to show what he can do. However, Gallup expressed last summer that although his future was uncertain he'd love to remain with the Cowboys.
“You're obviously going to think about it, but you can't really do anything about it but go out on the field and do what you're supposed to do,” Gallup said. “You're not going to get that contract if you don't do what you're supposed to on the field first. I think, one thing to think about, you can't talk anything into the future. You've just got to do what you're supposed to do right now. So for me, it's just going out there helping this club win ball games, have fun doing it. Obviously, I'd love to stay here, love to be in Dallas, love the community, love this city, love the fans, so it's up in the air, but I want to be right here. So we'll see.”
Cowboys Executive Vice President Stephen Jones interviewed with 105.3 The Fan in Dallas two weeks ago, and when Gallup's name was brought up, he expressed that his injury doesn't change the organization's approach when it comes to bringing him back for his fifth season in Dallas.
“Not at all,” Jones said. “We'll just go to work with him and see. As I said, we obviously got some challenges that we'll address in the offseason.”
The Cowboys have Cooper under contract for three more seasons and don't have to think about paying Lamb for at least two more. Gallup and his ability to stretch the field on the outside compliments Cooper as the other outside threat and allows Lamb to feast in the slot. However, Wide Receiver Cedrick Wilson, who is also up for a new deal, played well in Gallup's absence. He's not a better player than Gallup, but the Cowboys' offense was the most productive in 2021 with Wilson as the slot guy and Lamb sliding outside with Cooper.
The only thing now is to see if Gallup and the Cowboys will continue this marriage. Regardless of which way it goes, Gallup's future will be at the top of the Cowboys' offseason priority list.
