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The Dallas Cowboys are gearing up for an important Week 4 contest against the Washington Commanders, and two stars may be making their return.
Dallas sits at 2-1 after two consecutive wins in Week 2 and Week 3, and the team has been pulling out wins despite being hit by the injury bug. The Cowboys will not get quarterback Dak Prescott back for Sunday, but owner Jerry Jones thinks the team will see two other stars return.
Dalton Schultz missed Week 3’s contest against the New York Giants, and Gallup has yet to play a snap as he finalizes recovery from an ACL tear last January. Now, Jones is saying Gallup is finally set to make his return.
“Cowboys owner Jerry Jones this morning to @1053thefan on whether WR Michael Gallup (ACL), TE Dalton Schultz (knee) will play vs. Washington: ‘As I sit here, I think they’ll play,'” Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein Tweeted on September 30.
Getting both Gallup and Schultz back for Sunday would give quarterback Cooper Rush a major boost. For the players, it’s also vital that they return for their own personal benefit, as Schultz is in a contract year and Gallup is playing on a big contract.
Gallup Returning to No. 2 Role
There’s no question that the remaining 14 games of the 2022 season are important for Gallup. After a 2019 season with 1107 receiving yards and six touchdowns, Gallup’s production has dipped due to injury and his role in the team.
That was, in part, due to the addition of CeeDee Lamb when Amari Cooper was still on the team. The Cowboys had a “burden of riches” with all three pass-catchers, but it did mean that Gallup had to share with Lamb, especially.
With Cooper being traded to the Cleveland Browns, the No. 2 role should belong to Gallup. His knack for winning contested balls and being a prototypical “possession” receiver is something Dallas sorely needs.
That pressure is especially present due to Gallup’s five-year, $57.5 million contract. Spotrac shows that Gallup is only registering as a $4.53 million cap hit in 2022, but will be at $14 million next year. Dallas is locked in on Gallup with this deal, but they’re still going to need him to perform once he’s back.
Cowboys TE Playing on Franchise Tag
The Schultz contract saga was one of the prevalent storylines of the Cowboys’ offseason, but the team elected to franchise tag the tight end. According to Spotrac, Schultz’s tag will pay him $10.9 million in 2022.
Schultz had a decent start to the year with seven catches and 62 yards in Week 1, but Week 2 was one to forget. The Cowboys’ tight end caught two of his four targets for just 18 yards, while also fumbling.
To make matters worse, Schultz suffered a knee sprain in the 20-17 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. The tight end missed Week 3, and it is obviously unclear if he will play Sunday.
For Schultz, every game matters. Whether he plays for Dallas next season or another team, this is a year where the tight end is earning his first big NFL contract. Any time on the bench could potentially cut into those numbers.
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