I'm torn about Michael Gallup. Because he was slow to return from his ACL injury, he seemed to fall out of favor with Dak Prescott and the offense. Then he posted 103 receiving yards in the playoff game against the Packers. Is he worth keeping with the hope that his arrow is finally pointing up? Or considering his salary and overall production last year, does releasing him make more sense for a team that needs cap space? – Trevor West/Phoenix, AZ
Nick Harris:I think the two sides need to sit down and discuss what a contract restructuring could look like for both sides. It's not a secret that Gallup's worth doesn't match what his cap hit has been year-after-year, so bringing that number down will have to be necessary to move forward. If a compromise can't be made at the bargaining table, then it might be time to move on from Gallup. I do still think there is quite a bit left in his tank, I just don't see his ceiling being matched similar to how it was before the ACL injury.
Patrik: I've always been a fan of Gallup, from Day 1, but that doesn't mean I'm blind to what's happening here. The fact is he's not been the same since suffering the torn ACL, not initially, and now that he is back to form both physically and mentally, his production is still suffering through inconsistency that is at times his own doing and, at other times, caused by lack of consistent reps on a game-to-game basis. It's been a mix of misfortune for the former 1,000-yard receiver, indeed, as others like Jalen Tolbert and Jalen Brooks, not to mention the acquisition of Brandin Cooks and more utilization of KaVontae Turpin, begin to take the next step forward; and on much less expensive contracts. And therein lies the crux of the argument both for and against Gallup: he is still a very capable NFL receiver, period, but his current role is so far below his current contract that it has to be addressed this offseason in one way or another, and it will be … soon. I'd motion to keep him onboard, still being a fan of his skill set and his professionalism + mentorship, but at a lower cost more commensurate with his new role, because the latter isn't anything near what it was when the five-year, $100 million was signed pre-injury.
