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The Las Vegas Raiders are going to be down a wide receiver heading into training camp. The team announced on X on July 23 that wide receiver Michael Gallup has retired from the NFL.
This is a surprise move as the Raiders signed Gallup this offseason and is only 28 years old. It’s unclear why he’d walk away from the game right now. He spent the first six years with the Dallas Cowboys and had some productive years. His best season came in 2019 when he had 1,107 receiving yards.
He was never able to quite match that production but has had more than 400 receiving yards every season of his career. Gallup would’ve been competing for the Raiders’ No. 3 wide receiver spot behind Jakobi Meyers and Davante Adams.
Gallup is still young enough to where a potential return could be on the board down the road. Regardless, he likely won’t be playing for the Raiders this season. The former Colorado State standout was a third-round pick of the Cowboys in 2018 and this was the first season he was going to be away from Dallas. He has dealt with some serious injuries in his career and that could play a factor in why he has decided to retire.
Will Las Vegas Raiders Replace Michael Gallup?
Gallup was expected to play a key role for the Raiders this season. As a WR3, he may have started some games. Outside of Adams and Meyers, the Raiders don’t have other wide receivers with a lot of game experience.
This could lead them back to the free agent pool. Hunter Renfrow could make sense as an option. He spent the last five seasons with the team and would be welcomed back with open arms. His contract would be much more reasonable so it wouldn’t be as big of a deal if he didn’t make a lot of plays.
Michael Thomas could be a high-risk, high-reward option. He was once one of the best wide receivers in the NFL but injuries derailed his career. As a WR3, he likely still has value. Russell Gage is also available and he has experience being a No. 3 wide receiver. He missed the entire 2023 season due to an injury but if he’s healthy, he could still be an impact player.
Tre Tucker in Driver’s Seat for WR3
The Raiders may not actually need to add a wide receiver if Tre Tucker makes a leap. The 2023 third-round pick showed some big play ability as a rookie but struggled with drops. He’s one of the fastest players on the team and is a serious deep threat.
Meyers and Adams aren’t speedsters so having a WR3 who can be a legit vertical threat would be a big deal for the Raiders. Even if Gallup didn’t retire, there was a chance Tucker would still be the No. 3 wide receiver.
He’s been working hard and has earned high praise from Adams in the past. He has the tools to be a very good player for Las Vegas but needs to take advantage of an opportunity this season. The Raiders would certainly prefer for Tucker to cement himself as the WR3 than have to bring in a new player.
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