Getty Cowboys WR Michael Gallup
Finalizing a move weeks in the making, the Dallas Cowboys activated wide receiver Michael Gallup from injured reserve, the team announced Saturday. Dallas also activated defensive tackle Trysten Hill from the Physically Unable to Perform list.
Both players are eligible to play in Sunday’s home meeting with the Atlanta Falcons.
Gallup has been sidelined since the season-opening loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after suffering a calf strain. The fourth-year vet caught four passes for 36 yards prior to his injury. He was designated to return from IR on October 26, which opened a 21-day activation window.
Despite some inevitable rust to shake off, Gallup slides back into arguably the NFL’s best WR corps as the third option behind Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb, further entrenched following Cedrick Wilson’s recent shoulder issue. Wilson — who did not practice Wednesday or Thursday before getting in a limited session Friday — is listed as questionable to suit up against Atlanta.
“I think Michael will hit his stride,” Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said Thursday, per the official team website. “We’ll get to Saturday and go through the whole weeks of work. I just think you’ve got to be smart with how much you use him, so we’ll see how the rotation goes obviously with Amari, CeeDee, and Ced. We were being smart with Cedrick yesterday. Just really how we work out the reps I think will be the biggest part. But I don’t envision Michael being held back any.”
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Hill Set for 2021 Debut
The 58th overall pick of the 2019 draft, Hill is fully recovered from a torn ACL sustained in Week 5 of the 2020 campaign. He had been stashed on the PUP list since training camp, losing his place on the depth chart to impressive rookie DT Osa Odighizuwa.
Hill rarely saw the field as a rookie, recording five tackles across seven appearances. He spent much of the season in then-Cowboys HC Jason Garrett’s doghouse after arriving late to a team meeting and falling asleep while NBA legend Isiah Thomas addressed the players during an impassioned speech.
Assuming he’s active in Week 10, Hill will provide depth to a front-seven that remains without DL DeMarcus Lawrence (IR, foot), Brent Urban (IR, triceps), and Neville Gallimore (IR, elbow), and just lost sack leader Randy Gregory (IR, calf strain) for at least three games.
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Tyron Ruled Out
For the second straight week, the Cowboys will do battle sans its star blindside protector. Left tackle Tyron Smith, dealing with bone spurs in his ankle, was ruled out for the Falcons tilt, McCarthy announced Friday.
Backup OT Terence Steele will draw another start in Smith’s stead. The former undrafted free agent was brutalized in last week’s stunning 30-16 loss to Denver, during which Dallas surrendered two sacks and five hits on Dak Prescott.
Steele, who filled in for RT La’el Collins amid Collins’ five-game suspension, acknowledged the switch to LT was challenging, “kinda like trying to write with your left hand,” but feels more comfortable (read: confident) following an additional week of practice reps.
“I’m not far off from being solid,” he told reporters Thursday, via The Athletic’s Jon Machota.
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