After being unable to return to his previous production, Michael Gallup appears to be moving down the Dallas Cowboys depth chart and second-year wideout Jalen Tolbert is earning snaps as the team’s third wideout, ahead of Gallup. ESPN’s Ed Werder pointed out this change took place against the Seahawks in Week 13.
“Tolbert started vs. Seahawks on three-receiver formation with Gallup coming in next play,” Werder said on X (formerly known as Twitter) on December 3, 2023. “Clearly seems MG has not been the player since the injury that he was before it; Tolbert is a young player on the rise. Cowboys thought MG would give same production as Amari at half cost.”
It is important to note that Gallup is still earning playing time within the offense. Gallup’s 46% of offensive snaps remains more than Tolbert’s 36% and KaVontae Turpin’s 15%. Tolbert’s 37% did top Gallup’s 33% of snaps against the Commanders in Week 12.
Some of this data has to do with Dallas using a rotation of players in three-receiver sets now instead of Gallup solely holding the spot. CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks have solidified themselves as the team’s top two wideouts as the postseason nears.
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Dallas faces a decision on Gallup, not only when it comes to the receiver rotation but also when it comes to his future in Big D. Gallup’s five-year, $57.5 million contract is slated to run through the 2026 season.
Gallup’s salary jumps up from $1.6 million to $8.5 million in 2024 and his $6.7 million cap hit this season also significantly rises, to $13.8 million, in 2024.
The Cowboys could opt to move on from Gallup this offseason, but it would come with a hefty dead cap hit of $13 million. That would not represent a significant salary cap savings for next season but would allow Dallas to no longer be on the hook for the remaining three years of Gallup’s deal.
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The front office wrongly believed Gallup could replace Cooper’s production at a cheaper price. Dallas opted to re-sign Gallup during the 2022 offseason while trading Cooper to the Cleveland Browns.
Gallup failed to record a reception against Seattle in Week 13, and he has just one catch over the last two weeks. Gallup has 28 receptions for 357 yards and a touchdown in 12 appearances this season.
“He has fallen behind second-year receiver Jalen Tolbert, and free agent veteran acquisition Brandin Cooks,” Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Mac Engel wrote in a December 3 titled “Michael Gallup is missing in action from the Dallas Cowboys’ revamped explosive offense.” “Cooks is a different player, whereas Tolbert is similar to Gallup.
“This roster is not exactly Mariana Trench-deep at wide receiver. More like the kiddie pool.
“Tolbert is not exactly killing it, but at this point this move may simply be more about ‘Getting in the way of progress.’ If you think the guy on the bench has a greater upside than the starter, because the incumbent has hit his ceiling, you switch.”
It remains to be seen what Tolbert will do with this new opportunity after underwhelming with just two receptions during his rookie season in 2022. Through the first 13 weeks, Tolbert has 17 catches for 200 yards and 1 touchdown.
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Cowboys Bench $57 Million Starter for ‘Player on the Rise,’ Says Insider