There were jubilant scenes across the Washington Commanders fan base when wide receiver Terry McLaurin's contract standoff with the franchise was finally resolved successfully. But for general manager Adam Peters, there was no time to bask in the glory.
As McLaurin finalized his three-year, $96 million deal, which also included a $30 million signing bonus, Peters and others within the organization were busy trimming the roster from 90 to 53 players. It's arguably the most difficult time of year in this cold business of the NFL, where dreams are crushed and hundreds of roster hopefuls are forced to seek alternative employment.
The Commanders made their first wave of cuts shortly after reports of McLaurin's extension became public knowledge. Among them was wide receiver Michael Gallup, who came out of retirement this offseason but didn't make a big enough impression.
Commanders didn't get enough from Michael Gallup to take him through
Gallup was confident that he could offer something to the Commanders after a year away from the game. He knew head coach Dan Quinn well from their time together on the Dallas Cowboys, and it didn't cost Washington anything to find out if he still had something left in the tank.
Things started well enough. Gallup caught the eye over offseason workouts, but a hamstring injury kept him out of mandatory minicamp. This dented his initial momentum, and the former Colorado State standout was unable to get it back.
Others moved ahead of Gallup in the pecking order as training camp progressed. Rookie fourth-rounder Jaylin Lane and undrafted free agent Ja'Corey Brooks were far more impressive, so the writing was firmly on the wall before the wideout's fate was finally confirmed.
What the future holds for Gallup is unclear. It's been a long time since his 1,000-yard receiving season, and it's always difficult to get back into the groove after an extended spell on the outside looking in. He could come back onto Washington's practice squad or get claimed by another team on waivers, but it'll be an anxious wait to see if another opportunity arrives.
With McLaurin getting back involved and Noah Brown also ramping up his recovery, the Commanders' receiver room looks strong once again. Those plans won't include Gallup, who never did enough to catch on in pursuit of galvanizing his career on a contending team.
It was worth a shot from Washington's standpoint. Sometimes, this sort of move reaps the required rewards, but the numbers game ultimately proved to be Gallup's undoing when push came to shove.