Michael Gallup could be on verge of playing his way out of Dallas
The Dallas Cowboys have an embarrassment of riches at the wide receiver position with Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and Michael Gallup. The latter is entering his fourth season in the NFL and is playing for a new contract.
With that comes the motivation for Gallup to have his best season yet, seeing as the opportunity to cash in for his first major payday is on the horizon. If that is the case, does it mean he’ll price himself out of Dallas? It’s very possible.
Gallup has shown improvement every season since entering the NFL in 2018. After 33 receptions for 507 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie, Gallup more than doubled his production in year two with 66 receptions for 1,107 yards and six touchdowns, and he did so with Cooper having nearly 1,200 yards himself.
Gallup’s numbers in 2020 shouldn’t lead anyone astray. Yes, he ended up with 59 receptions for 843 yards and five touchdowns. However, those numbers have to be put into context. Gallup was on pace for 1,100 yards in the first four games with a healthy Dak Prescott, and the fact that he finished just 157 yards shy of 1,000 playing with three replacement-level-or-worse quarterbacks is a testament to how talented he is.
Seeing as defenses will have to gameplan for Cooper and Lamb, who should make a jump in his second season, Gallup could have more one-on-one opportunities which could lead to some big plays, especially with a healthy Prescott back under center.
Gallup is the Cowboys’ second or third receiving option he could be a No. 1 in another uniform. Every season, due to contract situations or just a lack of talent on their roster, certain teams are in search of a top option at wide receiver. If Gallup has a big 2021 campaign, it could make a desperate organization offer a king’s ransom for his services, and end his days with the Cowboys.
The former Colorado State Ram hopes his future is with the Cowboys, which he mentioned last month.
“You’re not going to get that contract if you don’t do what you’re supposed to on the field first, Gallup said. “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.”
Gallup is only 25 years old with plenty of great football in front of him. It will be interesting to see if the Cowboys value him enough to keep him with the organization if has a big year in 2021. The cost won’t be cheap, but keeping a trio like Cooper, Lamb, and Gallup together for the foreseeable future could be worth the price.
