Michael Gallup Wanted Contract 'I Deserve,' Signs with Dallas Cowboys

"I just have that feeling that they might work with me on it.'' - Free agent Michael Gallup, predicting a new Cowboys contract.

FRISCO - “I hope,'' Michael Gallup said not long ago, "I did enough here in Dallas over the last four years to get what I deserve.''

The Dallas Cowboys apparently think he did.

The receiver won't hit free agency is, as Dallas had hoped. A source inside The Star told us he was a team "priority'' when it comes to offseason signings. On Sunday, the day before the free agency frenzy, he agreed to a five-year extension reportedly totaling $62.5 million.

We say "reportedly'' because ...

What if #MichaelGallup #Cowboys Contract (announced at $62.5 mil) is actually something like ...

5 years, $50 mil.

$10 mil signing bonus.

$1 mil annual roster bonus.

$$ fluff.

Escapability after 2 years.

Like it better?https://t.co/ccBHB4JT78 via @fishsports

— fishsports ✭ (@fishsports) March 14, 2022

What if the contract (announced at $62.5 mil) is actually something like ...

Five years, $50 mil, with a $10 mil signing bonus, with $1 mil annual roster bonus, with some financial "fluff,'' with escapability after two years.

We checking on this, but ... Like it better?

Now, does anybody know exactly when he'll be ready following surgery on February 10 to repair a torn ACL - with all due respect to his stated plan to be a “fast healer''? The Cowboys obviously feel good about it.

"I know the Cowboys enjoy me being on their team,'' Gallup, while at the Super Bowl, told Heavy. “Honestly, they haven’t really said a whole lot to me (about free agency). I just have that feeling that they might work with me on it ...''

His "feeling'' was correct.''

Gallup mentioned that Dallas QB Dak Prescott has been saying positive things in private about the return of Gallup, who due to injuries in 2021 was only able to total 35 catches or 445 yards and two TDs.

“Man, Dak’s been telling me I can’t go anywhere since the season started,” Gallups said. “I definitely know he wants me back here, but he also told me that when he had his injury that he still got what he was owed.

“So, I’m not too worried about it in that perspective, but he’s definitely been in my ear a lot telling me that I need to be here. So, I’ll just definitely take that into consideration.”

Gallup's point regarding injury: Prescott got his top-of-the-market $40 million APY contract while coming off of ankle surgery. Therefore, in Gallup's mind, why does he have to compromise financially?

Still, Gallup, just 25, noted then that his future could take him "both ways.'' 

Gallup said he would like to be "that dude'' - a No. 1 receiver in an offense - while at the same time understanding why he's been more of a supplemental piece since being drafted in the third round in ...

“I think everybody wants to be that dude, you want to be that guy, you want to get all the targets, you want to catch it,” Gallup said. “There’s other good players in the league as well, so I think you have to take that into consideration. Especially with me, shoot, I got Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb outside of me. They both went in the first round, phenomenal athletes. 

"So, when your catches come you just gotta make them count, and I think I’ve done that pretty well.” 

Of course, now Cooper is not an issue, having been traded to Cleveland on Saturday. That means, along with Lamb, that much more will be asked of Gallup.

“I know this past year wasn’t the best for me or anything, but I hope I’ve done enough and put enough on film to where the injury that I just had isn’t going to weigh me down too much,'' Gallup said.

It did not. The Cowboys and Gallup move on together.