On January 2nd, Michael Gallup tore his left ACL in Week 17 of the 2021 NFL season and did not have surgery until February.
Dallas re-signed Gallup to a five-year 62.5 million extension after Gallup had his surgery. Gallup has been in Dallas rehabbing his injury, and head coach Mike McCarthy said that Gallup has been doing well many times. The expectation is that he may not be ready to play in Week one of the 2022 season.
Gallup has proven that he can be a solid number two wide receiver. We should look for great things from him following this setback. Gallup is one of the best catch-in-traffic wide-outs in the game today. He knows how to use his body to go and get the football.
His speed is very underrated. He becomes a nightmare matchup for defensive backs that think they can press him one-on-one. Gallup may not be fully recovered from his injury immediately upon his return to the field, but I think he will find his footing quickly.
The Cowboys will play three playoff teams from a year ago, including the two teams that met in the Superbowl last season in their first five games. That is the timeline I would anticipate Gallup to make his return.
I would much rather the Cowboys let him ease back into the flow than try and push him back because of the tough start to the season. They should still be able to split those games, and when Gallup does get back, they will find themselves in good shape.
Gallup had his best year in 2019, catching 66 passes for 1,107 and six touchdowns. Depending on how many games they truly sit Gallup for, I think he will still have a better year than last season.
My final prediction for Gallup is 50 catches for 600 yards and four touchdowns, but do not be surprised if he clears these numbers.
