With the exception of CeeDee Lamb and possibly Noah Brown, the 2022 Cowboys largely underachieved at the receiver position. Dallas was banking on the group to pick up the slack left by Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson. Much of that onus fell on the newly re-signed Michael Gallup and rookie draft pick Jalen Tolbert.
Gallup started behind the eight ball in 2023. Recovering from a February ACL surgery, the fifth-year receiver was hard pressed just to get on the practice field by Week 1. It was hardly surprising to see him miss the first three games. When he did get on the filed, he started the season slow, logging only eight receptions over his first four games of the season.
Things continued to look tough for Gallup as the season progressed. Lacking his usual speed and explosiveness, Gallup looked like a player coming back from major injury. He flashed moments of greatness, but understandably never regained his full form.
Speaking to reporters at the combine, Stephen Jones spoke of his optimism for Gallup one more year removed from his surgery
“I think Michael Gallup has a great chance to take the next step, in terms of what he can do,” Jones said. “Coming off a major ACL, I think it’s pretty typical the guys improve from the first year to the second year. There’s usually a jump and I fully expect Michael to do that.”
Gallup’s 2022 season was statistically his worst as a pro. But when the Cowboys re-signed him to that five-year, $57,500,000 contract last off-season, they seemed to have expected a regression of sort from the injury. In 2024, it’s clear the expectations go up.
Similarly, Tolbert failed to make the impact the team expected. Hailing from South Alabama, Tolbert had trouble making the leap to the pro game, tallying just two receptions for twelve yards in his rookie year.
“You always hope they step in and play but he’s going to develop,” Jones said of Tolbert. “He’s got the skill set and he’s just got to develop. Came from a small school and just didn’t come along as fast as we might would have hoped. But I think his upside’s there.”
It’s important to note, Jones did not back away from the scouting report and plainly said “he’s got the skill set” when discussing his development. Tolbert’s skill set is an impressive one but it should be no surprise he struggled his first year in the pros. More was expected, but the struggle is understandable.
While South Alabama is a fine school with a good football program, it’s not exactly a powerhouse in producing professional prospects. Tolbert dominated the ranks with sheer talent and never had much need to hone the nuances of the game playing in the Sun Belt Conference.
Both Gallup and Tolbert are expected to make a leap in 2023 and it’s understandable why.
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