FRISCO, Texas – Losing your leading receiver for 2-to-4 weeks isn't ideal, no matter how much your offense is rolling.
But the Cowboys are optimistic Michael Gallup will be back from arthroscopic knee surgery before long. In the meantime, they've got talented players behind him on the depth chart.
"We feel good about the guys we have," Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said Monday.
Devin Smith, signed to a futures contract in January after recovering from two major knee injuries, caught a 51-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter of Sunday's 31-21 road win over the Washington Redskins.
The former second-round draft pick of the Jets narrowly won a training camp competition against Cedrick Wilson, whom the Cowboys signed from the practice squad last Saturday. Wilson, last year's sixth-round pick, played six offensive snaps and fielded one punt in his NFL debut, having sat out his rookie season due to shoulder surgery.
"They got a chance to go in there and play and they stepped up," Garrett said. "You just have to keep kind of giving them shots and hopefully they're confidence will build as they go."
And, of course, quarterback Dak Prescott can lean on two veteran pass-catchers. Amari Cooper and Randall Cobb have combined for 19 catches, 243 yards and 3 touchdowns in wins over the Giants and Redskins.
One question mark at the moment: Tavon Austin, who sat out the Washington game with a concussion. The Cowboys signed Wilson to fill in for Austin this past Sunday. They might need more depth if Austin is unable to return this week.
