Minicamp injury scare spotlights stubborn red flag for Commanders roster hopeful

The Washington Commanders' wide receiver room has been the subject of much discussion this offseason. This is due to the highly publicized acquisition of Deebo Samuel Sr. and the ongoing contract holdout involving Terry McLaurin.

These developments have overshadowed the additional changes to Washington's corps of offensive weapons. This includes the additions of rookie Jaylin Lane, Chris Moore, and the newly unretired Michael Gallup.

Gallup jumps out as an intriguing name to watch this offseason, attempting a comeback to the NFL after he announced his retirement during the 2024 offseason. The Colorado State product spent six years with the Dallas Cowboys, totaling 3,744 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns. He was picked up by the Las Vegas Raiders after his release, but the motivation had gone.

Now, it's back. But the wideout has to navigate an early stumbling block that surfaced at Washington's mandatory minicamp.

Injuries have been a concern with Gallup, playing a role in why he stepped away from football. Even after a year off, it seems like he's having trouble shaking the bug.

Michael Gallup's hamstring strain could put his Commanders' chances in doubt

Gallup was absent from Commanders' minicamp on both Monday and Tuesday as he tends to what is being reported as a strained hamstring. It's unclear when or how the veteran suffered this complication, but it's not good news for either the player or the team.

The Commanders brought him in as a low-risk flyer, with no expectations of playing anything more than a backup role and no guarantee that he would even make the roster. It was simply a shot in the dark to provide the former Cowboy with an opportunity to get another shot in the pros.

For Washington, it could also perhaps secure some bragging rights at its division rival's expense.

That said, the Commanders are thinner than expected at wide receiver right now. Not only has McLaurin been absent, but Noah Brown was carted off the field on Tuesday with an undisclosed injury. That, along with Gallup's issue, means that Washington's top available receivers are currently Samuel, Lane, and 2024 third-round pick Luke McCaffrey.

It's not ideal. And for Gallup, it feels like a missed opportunity.

He could be seeing first-team reps right now if he weren't injured, and potentially getting a head start on ensuring he's on the right side of the roster bubble come preseason. Instead, Gallup is stuck in the same position that led him to step away from the NFL last summer.

Hopefully, this proves to only be a minor inconvenience for Gallup and he can return to the field shortly. All of Washington is rooting for him to complete his comeback, and perhaps to have a statement performance or two against his old team this year.

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