Michael Gallup became burned out in the circus normally associated with the Dallas Cowboys. After a year away from the NFL, the wide receiver is ready to make an impression within a winning environment under a head coach he knows well.
The Washington Commanders are giving Gallup a chance to resurrect his NFL career, signing the once promising wide receiver to a one-year deal. They met with the player earlier this offseason and were suitably impressed. This doesn't guarantee anything, but it does provide the former third-round pick with a route back into the pro ranks.
Gallup retired after the 2023 campaign. His role diminished in Dallas and they once again flattered to deceive. Being part of a perennial underachiever more interested in media headlines than winning Super Bowls took its toll. Considering it's costing the Commanders nothing more than the vet minimum ($1.335 million) on his deal to find out if there is something to offer, it's a risk well worth taking.
Michael Gallup relishing fresh start within Commanders' winning culture
It's an opportunity Gallup isn't planning to waste. The Colorado State product is refreshed, refocused, and ready to stake a claim. It might work out. It might not. But the player is ready to give his all in pursuit of carving out a role for himself.
"There's a lot of meat on that bone. I gotta get back. I just feel like the way I was let go after being in one place for so long, and then jumping onto another team and not being able to process. Trying to process that, it was just too fast for me. And I wasn't there yet. DQ was DC, and he's worried about a wide receiver. He's always checking up on me. He's one of the great dudes in the locker room that you want to have as a coach."Michael Gallup
This is a great environment for Gallup. The Commanders' culture transformation under head coach Dan Quinn — someone he knows well from their time together in Dallas — kickstarted a new era of prosperity in Washington. There are proven veterans everywhere you look keeping everyone on an even keel. They also have a franchise quarterback in Jayden Daniels, who's already been in touch with the wideout.
It's a far cry from the finger-pointing, controversy, and dysfunction Gallup experienced throughout his Cowboys tenure. After he was unceremoniously removed from the equation, a brief stint on the Las Vegas Raiders followed. But the motivation to continue just wasn't where it needed to be.
This is a chance to make his presence felt within a more stable set-up with lofty ambitions. He's not going to be the first or second choice with Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel Sr. around. He might not be the third or fourth depending on how things shake out. But he's got his foot back in the door.
It's been a long time since Gallup's exceptional 2019 campaign where he went over 1,100 receiving yards. The Commanders won't be expecting anything like that. But if he can establish himself quickly, maximize targets when they arrive, and become an asset to the locker room, it'll be worth its weight in gold.
Regardless of how things unfold, it'll be fascinating to watch.
More Commanders news and analysis
manual