New England Patriots Rumors: 3 WR free agents that would unlock offense
New England Patriots free agent target No. 3: Michael Gallup
The play pictured above was the last one Michael Gallup took part in during the 2021 season. Gallup would come down with this pass for a touchdown, but he ended up tearing his ACL in the process, and would miss the Dallas Cowboys final two games. There’s also a good chance this was the last time Gallup suited up for the Cowboys, as he is now set to hit free agency.
Gallup certainly did not have the contract year he was expecting to have going into the season. He only played in nine games, and even then his numbers were down thanks to the emergence of Cedrick Wilson (35 REC, 445 YDS, 2 TD). With Wilson joining Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb, there’s really no room for Gallup on the Cowboys roster, and while his payday probably isn’t going to be large as it could have been, Dallas can live without giving him a new deal.
That’s OK for Gallup, because there are plenty of wide receiver needy teams out there, and New England is one of them. Gallup has proven he can a top tier wide receiver when he isn’t fighting with guys like Cooper and Lamb for targets, and he would instantly be that guy for the Pats. Gallup’s 2019 season (66 REC, 1107 YDS, 6 TD) is what’s going to earn him his money, and pairing him up with Kendrick Bourne and Jakobi Meyers could help him get back to those numbers.
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Gallup obviously has some injury concerns with his ACL, which could scare off some suitors. His decline in play can be attributed to the emergence of Wilson and injuries, so it will be a bit of a risk to bring him into town. Even then, Gallup could still fetch a deal worth upwards of $10 million, although it will probably only be two/three years max so he can hit the market again and hopefully land a bigger contract.
Gallup has never really been the go-to guy throughout his career, and he wouldn’t necessarily have to be with the Pats. Meyers has proven to be a solid slot guy, and if the team feels comfortable rolling with him, they could take a flier on a guy like Gallup and hope he develops into the top wide receiver he looked capable of being back in 2019. He’s probably not going to be their top target, but Gallup’s upside makes him a player worth considering heading into free agency.