Many times, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is blowing smoke when he gets in front of a microphone. All offseason fans have had every reason to doubt the recovery ability of wide receiver Michael Gallup, who suffered an ACL tear in January but was first projected by the front office to be ready to go by the time the season started. Gallup himself pushed back on that projection, but indicated he wasn’t far off. That was supported by his rehab work in training camp, showing major progress. Early on Tuesday, Jones took things a step further, indicating Gallup would be ready to play in two weeks if Week 1 was as important as the Big Game.
“If this was the Super Bowl, Gallup would be lining up and playing. If (our game Week 1) against Tampa were the Super Bowl, he’d be lining up and playing,” Jones said Tuesday during his weekly appearance on “Shan and RJ”. “So, we’re going to be cautious – or 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’d be playing. He’s that ready.”
Then the team doctors proved him right. Gallup passed his physical.
File this under #Cowboys things you love to see: pic.twitter.com/b7F7tvAuZn
— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) August 30, 2022
Gallup was not placed on the Reserve PUP list on Tuesday, which Cowboys Wire noted he could’ve been as early as last week’s roster reduction to 80 players. Instead, he’s one of eight wideouts on the 53-man roster. He still won’t play in Week 1, but he also won’t be held out of practice until Week 5, which would’ve been the case had he stayed on PUP.
The Cowboys may need him to return quickly, as they are not only missing his production, but also that of Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson from 2021. Gallup has averaged 15 yards a catch over the course of his four-year career. He re-signed with Dallas, despite the injury, inking a five-year, $57.5 million deal to be WR2 behind CeeDee Lamb.
Dallas drafted Jalen Tolbert in the third round of this year’s draft to replenish the group and also seems to have found some help in free-agent acquisition KaVontae Turpin, the 2022 USFL MVP. Young players such as Simi Fehoko and UDFA Dennis Houston will support Lamb and rising veteran Noah Brown on the outside.
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