Cowboys WR Michael Gallup: New Injury Rehab Plan?

The early expectation was Gallup would be ready to start the season, but has that now been pushed back?

FRISCO - Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Gallup is done signing his shiny new five-year, $62.5 million contract.

Now comes the real work.

And a real recovery timetable.

Among the topics covered in Gallup’s visit: how he always wanted to come back to Dallas and how blessed he feels to have the opportunity to do so. He said that the now-traded Amari Cooper was the first one to reach out to him to congratulate him when the news of his new contract broke.

Michael Gallup

Michael Gallup

Michael Gallup

The topics discussed by Gallup were all positive, with the exception of one. Gallup refused to discuss any specifics of his recovery timeline. Although speculation was high that he should be ready for a camp return … we’ve tried to tap the brakes on that.

Be ready for the season opener in September? Gallup all but refused to comment on his return with any specifics.

The soon-to-be fifth-year Colorado State product said he hopes to be available to start in Week 1. That's drastically different from a July return. Or an August return.

USA Today reported that during the month leading up to Gallup's surgery, he went through pre-rehabilitation exercises that would strengthen his hamstring, quad, and calf muscles. The exercises were supposed to help him with any anticipated strength loss after surgery during normal recovery.

Robert Deutsch/USA Today Sports

Amari Cooper

Dak Prescott and Michael Gallup

Michael Gallup

Since his early February surgery, Gallup has kept up with those exercises, including riding a stationary bike, pool exercises, upper body work, and one-legged drills. Gallup even stated his recovery progress seems slower than he'd like, but he hopes to start jogging soon.

Even if Gallup's original recovery time has been pushed back, the main concern is that he's 100 percent healthy when he takes the field again. With the departure of Cooper via trade to Cleveland, Gallup can expect more plays, more reps, and more balls thrown his way. He'll need his body to be back to normal, if not better.