Dallas Cowboys: Is Michael Gallup poised to start Week One?
By Tim Kohut
The Dallas Cowboys have several options to replace Dez Bryant in the offense. Is rookie wide receiver Michael Gallup guaranteed to be one of them?
Two things have happened over the last 72 hours that should have a profound impact on the Dallas Cowboys’ wide receiver corps. On Saturday morning, starting wideout Terrance Williams was arrested for public intoxication and leaving the scene of an accident. On Monday, Cowboys rookie wide receiver Michael Gallup signed his rookie deal, making him the final Dallas draft pick to do so.
Following Williams’ arrest, but no official ruling from the league as of yet, the Cowboys presumed starting X-receiver’s fate hangs in the balance. While the former third rounder is obviously someone the Cowboys wanted to step up as both a playmaker and a leader, it’s fair to wonder if he will even have a role on the team in 2018.
Or if a certain rookie has already taken that role, without even playing a down.
Gallup’s physicality and college production makes him the ideal X-receiver and replacement for Dez Bryant. Listed at 6’1, 205, to rookie wideout is a physically similar receiver to Bryant, albeit, with more reliable hands and far more explosiveness.
His college production further proves this notion.
During the 2016 season with Colorado State, Gallup exploded on the scene with 76 receptions, 1,272 yards, and 14 touchdowns. He followed that up with a mind-boggling 100 receptions, 1,418 yards receiving and seven touchdowns. Clearly, if his production translates to the NFL, the Cowboys have a bonafide Day One starter.
However, Dallas did manage to sign a couple of veterans in the offseason in Deonte Thompson and Allen Hurns. But both of those guys have different skill sets than Gallup. Thompson is a deep field threat, and could actually prove to be a solid complement to the rookie.
Hurns spent most of last season in the slot but has played outside receiver plenty. However, it remains to be seen if Hurns still has the explosiveness to win consistent one on one battles in the outside, making a potential platoon situation with Cole Beasley a possibility.
Next: Dallas Cowboys: 15 best first-round picks of all-time
The Dallas Cowboys have plenty of options on the roster, and it’s interesting to see which alpha dog will emerge from the pack. But with Terrance Williams recent off-the-field transgression forcing the Cowboys hand, Michael Gallup could get the starting job from day one.