Cowboys' Faith in Michael Gallup Rumored to Be at All-Time Low

The Dallas Cowboys made a shocking signing on Tuesday, inking veteran wide receiver Martavis Bryant following a successful workout. Not only was Bryant's last NFL appearance in 2018, but the Cowboys already have a crowded WR room with the likes of Brandin Cooks, Michael Gallup and Jalen Tolbert surrounding CeeDee Lamb.

That's what makes this deal so surprising, but it turns out Gallup's 2023 play has made him susceptible to competition.

Bleacher Report's Jordan Schultz noted right after the Bryant signing that Dallas has "been in the market for another receiver to complement" Lamb and Cooks. Schultz said that while the team still "believes" in their internal options, they didn't want to pass up the opportunity to land Bryant.

It's difficult to look at this as anything other than a poor reflection of the Cowboys' trust in Gallup right now. After all, Dallas showed incredible confidence in the wideout by opting to re-sign him and trade away Amari Cooper before the 2022 draft. However, Gallup was displaced by Cooks as the WR2 one season later, and now his status as the clear third receiving option is murky.

Simply put, if Gallup was impressing as the WR3 alongside Lamb and Cooks, the Cowboys wouldn't be signing veteran wideouts at the midway point of the season. In fact, it shows some desperation to take a chance on a receiver who was only recently reinstated from suspension and hasn't played in an NFL game since November 2018.

Yet, Gallup's performance this season has opened up the door for other WR3 candidates to be considered. While he's shown flashes -- like racking up 11 receptions for 152 yards from Weeks 3-4 -- he's also posted fewer than 25 yards in six of his eight appearances so far.

Bryant's signing should hopefully be the wakeup call Gallup needs to turn things around.

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