Trade Gallup? WR Final Season With Cowboys?

Entering the final year of his rookie deal, Michael Gallup's future with the Dallas Cowboys is far from certain.

Grant Afseth | Jun 21, 2021

FRISCO - Much has been made about the dynamic wideout trio the Dallas Cowboys boast between Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and Michael Gallup. However, it's worth asking...can the team keep all three of them?

With Amari Cooper being the No. 1 receiver of the bunch and not being slotted to reach free agency until 2025, it's safe to say he's safe.

CeeDee Lamb is next on the list as he will be on a rookie-scale contract all for the upcoming season with two more seasons, in addition. It would make little sense for his spot to be anything but safe.

Look no further than Michael Gallup, who will be in a contract year during the 2021 season. He will command a base salary of just over $2.4 million and is set to receive a major raise when he reaches the open market.

Aside from maybe two names, it's challenging to find a more impactful No. 3 receiving threat than Gallup. He's certainly more a 2-B level talent, but paying big money for a complementary wideout who isn't a 1-B doesn't make sense.

There is an outlook for Gallup to return given he were to be willing to take a team-friendly contract, of course. It just remains to be seen if that is a possibility given he has earned just a rookie deal so far in his NFL career.

Could the Cowboys look to move Gallup midseason via trade if they were to receive an attractive offer? That seems unlikely, but there's a case to be made there.

There are a few limitations with moving Gallup before his contract expires. For starters, teams are not going to want to overpay in a trade package to land a player who is going to reach free agency after the regular season concludes.

If the Cowboys are having a strong regular season and appear primed to make some noise in the NFL playoffs, that's a tough move to sell, too.

If there was a time to move Michael Gallup in a trade, it would have been either at the 2020 midseason trade deadline. Dak Prescott being sidelined with a season-ending injury made for a prime opportunity to shuffle things around.

The Cowboys will likely receive a 2022 compensatory pick if Gallup were to sign a long-term deal with a different team in free agency. So, playing the situation out would not position themselves to be left entirely empty-handed if he were to depart.

Working to get a deal done prior to the start of the 2021 NFL season could be the best-case scenario for the Cowboys. Gallup will undoubtedly put up huge numbers alongside Cooper and Lamb with Dak Prescott back in the lineup.

It takes two sides to reach an agreement, but from Dallas' standpoint, there's benefit even to overpaying him. The team could use look to trade him at a later point with actual leverage in a potential trade negotiation.

There's a lot of possibilities that could occur in regards to Michael Gallup's future with the Dallas Cowboys. How he and the team performs throughout the 2021 season will be pivotal in how it unfolds.

Published Jun 21, 2021

GRANT AFSETH