Cowboys Nearly Traded for Broncos Jerry Jeudy Before Brandin Cooks? Michael Gallup as Big Dallas Winner

The Cowboys traded for Brandin Cooks to ease the pressure on CeeDee Lamb, but the acquisition might be just as beneficial to Michael Gallup.

FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys finally secured the "playmaker with juice" the franchise so desperately needed in the form of Brandin Cooks from the Houston Texans. ... with a story going around that the move came only after Dallas butted heads with Denver about Jerry Jeudy.

What really happened? And how does Michael Gallup come out the big winner? Read on ... 

The move on Cooks (in exchange for a pair of late-round picks) was mainly made to ease the offensive burden of CeeDee Lamb, who had a career year last season as he totaled 1,359 receiving yards and nine touchdowns on 107 receptions.

But...

The arrival of Cooks could help another receiver just as much - Michael Gallup, who now becomes the third guy in the lineup.

Coming off his ACL injury last season, it was clear that Gallup wasn't at his best. While it does take time for a player to fully get into football shape, many were expecting Gallup to hit the ground running ... including the Cowboys.

But Gallup got going late and totaled just 424 yards from his 39 receptions as he struggled to make an impact in games. This could be partly due to his injury and offensive scheme, as seven times he totaled two or fewer receptions during games.

But now, could that be about to change?

Head coach Mike McCarthy's West Coast Offense already feels like a better fit for Gallup, whose strengths are his quick route running and contested catch ability, and he can use his size and speed to get early separation and produce big yards after the catch.

Now, add in Cooks, a star receiver who opposing defenses will have to gameplan against, as well as Lamb, and now Gallup could "slip through the cracks" and feast.

We know what kind of talent he possesses (1,107 receiver yards and six touchdowns in 2019), and with the addition of Cooks, Gallup will likely slide to WR3 on the depth chart, thus getting favorable match-ups.

So what about Jeudy? Sources from both sides of the table tell CowboysSI.com that there once was what we will call an "understanding'' that a second-round pick was going to be the ballpark cost of a deal. ... but that at some point this spring, the idea of a "first-round pick'' was broached.

We're told the Cowboys figured Denver was bluffing, so the Cowboys continued to check in - with the Broncos never budging. ... and the Cowboys therefore turning toward Houston and a swap for Cooks.

And now the Dallas offensive pieces might be coming together in a way that helps three Cowboys receivers succeed.

With a change in the offensive scheme and another bonafide star in the receiver room, Gallup could use this upcoming season as a redemption story and remind Cowboy Nation that he is indeed "that guy." ... or at least, one of the Cowboys' trio of "that guys.''

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