FRISCO, Texas – As expected, the Cowboys will be without wide receiver Michael Gallup for the remainder of the season.
Gallup suffered the knee injury while catching a touchdown Sunday against the Cardinals, but did not return.
On Monday, Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones was interviewed on 105.3 "The Fan" in Dallas and acknowledged that Gallup indeed suffered a torn ACL and will need reconstructive surgery.
"What a great competitor. It doesn't surprise me he made the play. That's just him," Jones said of Gallup. "He's got a great positive attitude. Obviously, that's a very difficult blow."
The timing is bad for both the Cowboys and Gallup, considering we're getting close to the playoffs and the fourth-year receiver has started to assert himself back into the rotation nicely after missing nine weeks with a calf injury.
The touchdown catch alone – a 21-yard reception where he spun to the outside and got his feet inbounds, is an example of how well Gallup has been there with sideline and contested catches.
Gallup's season will end with 35 catches for 445 yards and two touchdowns.
But the injury also clouds his future somewhat since he was expected to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
"I know he was looking forward to free agency was going to bring. Hopefully, right here in Dallas," said Jones, who said the team's approach in re-signing Gallup won't change with the injury. "Not at all. We've got some challenges that we'll address in the offseason. No one thinks more of Michael Gallup than the Dallas Cowboys and his teammates. He's a class act all the way. He'll come back strong and better than ever."
Without Gallup this year, the Cowboys will again look to Cedrick Wilson, who has been a playmaker all season. ON Sunday, he caught six passes for 35 yards and a touchdown and also threw a pass to Tony Pollard, showing off his versatility.
Behind starters Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb, Wilson is expected to be the third receiver in this offense, followed by Noah Brown and Malik Turner, who does have three touchdown catches this year.
