6 Cowboys Cap Casualty Cuts to Save Millions This Offseason

1. Michael Gallup, WR

Pre-June 1 Savings: $800,000
Pre-June 1 Dead Money: $13.05 million
Post-June 1 Savings: $9.5 Million
Post-June 1 Dead Money: $4.35 million

If not for the Terence Steele signing, this might have gone down as one of the worst extensions the Cowboys have handed out over the past 20 years. Dallas made a huge mistake in believing they could move on from Amari Cooper in 2022 and replace his production by paying Michael Gallup and Dalton Schultz.

They told everyone this move had to happen to keep the roster together but in reality, they were paying more for Gallup and Schultz when you add in the dead money Cooper had then they would have to simply keep Cooper. And as we've all seen, Cooper went to Cleveland where he set franchise records this season.

As for Gallup, he was fresh off a torn ACL when he signed his five-year, $62.5 million deal. He's rewarded Dallas with 73 receptions for 842 yards with six touchdowns. For some comparison, Cooper was said to have put together a "down year' in 2021 and had 68 receptions for 865 yards and eight touchdowns. More production than Gallup has had the past two seasons combined.

At this point, the Cowboys have to try and cut bait. Gallup has shown he's not the same player he once was and the offense was considerably better with Jalen Tolbert on the field over him. They would have to designate him a post-June 1 cut to make it worth moving on which means the money won't be available until then, but they can use it to give CeeDee Lamb or maybe even Micah Parsons an extension at that point.

What they can't do is keep paying Gallup this much.

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