The Dallas Cowboys will be without wide receiver Michael Gallup for at least the NFL season opener as he makes his return from a knee injury. Gallup was included on the 53-man roster this week and didn’t go on the PUP list, solidifying the status he’ll be playing in a game sooner rather than later.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones won’t leave things to chance with Gallup’s long-term health. Dallas will take its time with Gallup and hold him out for Week 1, even if he’s made significant progress from a torn ACL suffered in January of last season.
“If this were the Super Bowl, Gallup would be lining up and playing,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan. “If Tampa were the Super Bowl, he would be lining up and playing. And, so, we’re going to be cautious — not cautious, but conservative — with him.
“He won’t be out there more than likely against Tampa, but if it were the Super Bowl, he would be out there. He’s that ready.”
Dallas won’t have Gallup for Week 1, leaving the depth chart thin at wide receiver to start the year. CeeDee Lamb will be the No. 1 wideout with third-round rookie Jalen Tolbert as the projected No. 2. James Washington is out with a fractured foot and was placed on injured reserve this week, leaving Tolbert as the top option available. Tolbert had just six catches for 45 yards in the preseason, but none of the quarterbacks he caught passes from is currently on the active roster.
Noah Brown and Simi Fehoko are also on the depth chart at wide receiver, followed by rookie Dennis Houston and KaVontae Turpin.
Gallup will be relied on to vault the Cowboys’ passing game in 2022 after coming off a season which he had just 35 catches for 445 yards and two touchdowns in nine games. Gallup had 1,107 yards and six touchdowns in 2019, but has just 94 catches for 1,288 yards and seven touchdowns over the last two years (25 games).
The status of Gallup appears to be week-to-week, but it appears he’ll be making his debut for Dallas sooner rather than later.
