Jerry Jones' cryptic quote spells doom for a Cowboys veteran

While the entire NFL is busy making roster cuts to clear cap room ahead of free agency, Jerry Jones' Dallas Cowboys are sitting on their hands. Rest assured, though, a flurry of business moves is coming because Dak Prescott and the Cowboys reportedly haven't had any talks of a contract extension.

Per Jane Slater of NFL Network, there's little urgency on a timeline for Prescott's deal with early-August slated as the likely timetable.

As of this writing, the Cowboys have made one roster move before the legal tampering period opens on Monday. They re-signed nose tackle Carl Davis, who spent a portion of last season on the practice squad and will compete for a spot on the 53-man roster during training camp.

That's a nominal move in the grand scheme of things. Fans in Dallas are still waiting for the first lofty offseason domino to fall. If Jerry Jones' cryptic remarks on a Cowboys veteran mean anything, though, Dallas is about to get the ball rolling.

Jerry Jones' cryptic quote spells doom for Cowboys WR Michael Gallup

“[We] Don’t have a decision that we would like to talk about right now,” Jones said of Gallup. “It’s one that we’ll be going over with him. Nothing that we would say without him being involved. We need to sit down and go over his stuff with him before we talk about what we’re going to do or not do.”

“What he means is reflected in his salary and the deal that we gave him. And that’s exactly the way we felt about him, feel about him.”

Did Jones potentially tip his hand here? That's open for interpretation, but the owner's noncommittal quote all but confirms Dallas is weighting its options with Gallup. Simple logic says they should cut the 2018 third-round pick. His production has plummeted four years running since he erupted for 1,107 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 2019.

While Gallup's $13.85 million cap hit in 2024 is tamable, the Cowboys can free up $9.6 million if they cut him with a post-June 1 designation, per Over The Cap. With Prescott's extension not arriving until potentially training camp, Dallas can't leave any stone unturned in search of extra cap room.

At the end of the day, Gallup hasn't produced more than 40 catches or north of 500 receiving yards since the 2020 season. In two years since suffering a torn ACL, Gallup has produced a measly 73 catches for 842 yards. Last year alone, Cooks caught 54 passes for 657 yards and 8 touchdowns, and that's despite the fact he was a non-factor for the first four games.

A conversation regarding Gallup's cap hit versus his declining production is long overdue. Jones' quote doesn't confirm anything, but it's fairly easy to read between the lines. The writing is seemingly on the wall for the 28-year-old receiver.

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