With Amari Cooper out, Dallas Cowboys agree to 5-year, $62.5M deal with Michael Gallup
With Amari Cooper on his way to the Cleveland Browns, the Dallas Cowboys secured their future at the wide receiver position, agreeing to terms on a five-year, $62.5 million contract with Michael Gallup, per sources.
The deal includes a $10 million signing bonus and $27 million in guarantees for Gallup, who was slated to become an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday.
Even though Gallup will not be fully ready until the start of the season due a torn left ACL on Jan. 2, the Cowboys prioritized re-signing him to keep him off the market.
Gallup’s deal came one day after the Cowboys agreed to trade Cooper and sixth-round pick to the Cleveland Browns for a fifth-round pick and a sixth-round pick.
Cooper’s trade will not be fully consummated until Wednesday, pending a physical.
The trade saved the Cowboys from having to pay Cooper’s $20 million base salary for 2022, which would have been guaranteed on March 20.
The Cowboys also cleared $16 million against the cap, money they were able to use to secure Gallup for the next five seasons.
Gallup had surgery Feb. 10 and should open training camp on the physically unable to perform list.
He played in just nine games for the Cowboys in 2021 due to a calf strain in Week 1 and the ACL injury. He caught 35 passes for 445 yards and two touchdowns.
Gallup, a third-round pick in 2018, has 193 catches for 2,902 yards and 15 touchdowns in his career, including a career-high 66 catches for 1,107 yards and six touchdowns in 2019.
Gallup is considered the team’s best deep threat and averaged 15 yards per catch.
Once healthy, the Cowboys are counting him to have a larger role on the offense, along with CeeDee Lamb, who is expected to replace Cooper as the team’s No. 1 receiver.
This story was originally published March 13, 2022 at 7:35 PM.
