Cowboys Said to Clear the House at Receiver in Speedster’s Favor
There are still a lot of rumors surrounding the futures of the wide receivers on the Dallas Cowboys. Josh Edwards of CBS Sports thinks that the Cowboys “may start clearing out” the wide receiver position this offseason due to budgetary constraints. In his most recent 2024 NFL mock draft, the NFL analyst projects the Cowboys to select Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka at pick No. 26.
On November 24, 2023, Edwards wrote, “Dallas could start clearing out a lot of salary cap space if its starts consolidating the wide receiver room.” “Emeka Egbuka’s addition enables the Cowboys to start that process.”
CeeDee Lamb, a wide receiver headed for a huge salary in Big D, is not going anywhere. As a result, going into 2024, Michael Gallup and Brandin Cooks remain the main uncertainties.
Although both players have contracts expiring at the end of the following season, it is unclear if the Cowboys will keep the receivers. In recent weeks, Cooks has shown promise as the agile veteran Dak Prescott depends on the playmaker.
Gallup appears to be Dallas’ distant third-best receiver. There’s a compelling case to be made for the Cowboys to prioritize Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin in the offense over Gallup.
Cowboys Rumors: Is Dallas Ready to Let Go of Brandin Cooks or Michael Gallup?
The five-year, $57.5 million deal that Gallup signed is expected to last until the 2026 campaign. The receiver will earn $8.5 million in 2024, with a substantial $13.8 million cap hit.
This offseason, Dallas can let go of Gallup, but doing so would come with a $13 million dead cap hit. Gallup has 28 receptions for 357 yards and a touchdown through Week 12 of the season. This production does not exactly justify Gallup’s large contract.
Cooks’ $39 million, two-year contract expires in 2024. In addition to his $8 million salary, the veteran has a $10 million cap hit. Dallas can save roughly $4 million by cutting the wide receiver this offseason thanks to Cooks’ contract.
Cooks’ chances of staying in Dallas are far higher than Gallup’s given his play in the last few weeks. As Dallas moves into the final stretch of the season, Cooks has four touchdowns in the previous six weeks.
