Jerry Jones comments on Michael Gallup's future with Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are nearing an inflection point with wide receiver Michael Gallup. The wideout is going into his seventh season in the league next year and he’s the sixth-highest cap hit for the team in 2024. After his third straight season with less than 500 yards, the Cowboys might opt to release Gallup. The team could save around $9 million by cutting him this offseason.
Team owner and general manager Jerry Jones opened up about Gallup’s future this week but revealed little.
“We don’t have a decision that we would like to talk about right now,” Jones said, via Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. “It’s one that we will be going over with him. Nothing we would say without him being involved. We need to sit down and go over stuff with him before we talk about what we’re going to do with him.”
The former Colorado State star tore his ACL in Week 17 of the 2021-22 season. Coming off of injury in 2022, he posted 39 receptions on 74 targets, totaling 424 yards and four touchdowns. He had similar production this season. He played all 17 games with 34 catches, 418 yards and two touchdowns.
Michael Gallup’s cap hit poses major question
In 2019, Gallup was able to accumulate over 1,000 receiving yards, which was the height of his career so far. He followed it up with 843 yards in 2020.
After his injury, the Cowboys still signed him to a five-year deal worth $57.5 million. It made sense at the time if he was going to help the team make up for lost production when Amari Cooper left. Now, it makes much less sense.
Luckily for Gallup, the 2024 Salary Cap will be $255.4 million per club, which is an increase of more than $30 million from last season. The boost in salary cap space could lead Dallas to hold on to the former third-round pick for another year or more. However, the Cowboys still have a deficit of roughly $21.5 million for next season.
Dallas has a lengthy list of upcoming free agents to consider re-signing, as well as multiple stars who are looking for contract extensions. The list of the Cowboys’ free agents includes Tyron Smith, Tony Pollard, Stephon Gilmore, Tyler Biadasz, Dorance Armstrong Jr., Jayron Kearse, Jourdan Lewis, Johnathan Hankins, Neville Gallimore, Dante Fowler Jr., Chuma Edoga, Noah Igbinoghene and Rico Dowdle.