Cowboys reportedly 'close' to signing WR Michael Gallup to extension

The Cowboys’ wide receiver plan continues to unfold. Following reports of the team’s intentions to move on from Amari Cooper — via trade or release — the NFC East champions are hoping to retain Michael Gallup.

Gallup and the Cowboys are in talks on a deal that would keep him off the market. The sides are close to finalizing this extension, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. The Cowboys have exclusive negotiating rights with Gallup until March 14, when the legal tampering period begins. Absent a deal, the free agent-to-be would hit the open market March 16. A contract being finalized Friday would be fitting, as it is Gallup’s 26th birthday.

Moving Cooper’s $22M cap number off the payroll will be important here, with the Cowboys long having needed to make a Cooper-or-Gallup choice to go along with CeeDee Lamb‘s rookie contract. Gallup did not have a productive contract year, missing several games because of his Week 1 calf injury and ending the season early due to an ACL tear. That stands to affect Gallup’s value, but the Cowboys are clearly confident he can regain his previous form and work alongside Lamb going forward.

A third-round pick out of Colorado State, Gallup broke out for 1,107 yards in 2019 alongside Cooper. That is Gallup’s only 1,000-yard campaign, with Lamb having entered the picture a year later. But he still topped 800 in 2020 and enjoyed moments during an injury-plagued 2021 slate. Gallup will not command the price tag Cooper did when he signed a five-year, $100M deal in 2020.

Reaching a lower-cost accord with Gallup would keep the Cowboys’ hopes of keeping Randy Gregory and Dalton Schultz as well. One of the duo can be retained via the franchise tag, which would make more sense for Schultz due to the tight end tag being much cheaper than the defensive line figure.