On Monday, May 21, the Dallas Cowboys signed their new rookie wide receiver Michael Gallup to his rookie contract with the team. NFL OTAs started this week, and now the Cowboys can have all their draft picks out there working with their new teammates to get comfortable with the system and possibly to try to win jobs and play in 2018. While it seems almost natural for rookies to get signed and start practicing soon since the rookie deals are capped now, it still doesn’t always work out that way. Last year, Jourdan Lewis didn’t sign until the end of June.

In 2016, Maliek Collins didn’t sign until July 14. This year, the Cowboys are already ahead of the curve.

Michael Gallup

Getting Michael Gallup signed was important for both the wide receiver and for the Dallas Cowboys. The team released their top receiver Dez Bryant in the offseason and then watched their second top receiver Terrance Williams get arrested last week for public intoxication. That leaves them with Cole Beasley and newcomers Allen Hurns, Deonte Thompson and Tavon Austin as the only other top receiving names. Gallup needed to get in fast to compete for the best jobs.

Right now, it looks like Allen Hurns is the top choice to step into Dez Bryant’s shoes with Terrance Williams as the secondary target and Cole Beasley as the slot receiver.

Tavon Austin will work as a dual-threat player, lining up in the backfield, working on special teams and playing a little at receiver as well. That leaves Deonte Thompson and Michael Gallup to fight for the job that Brice Butler left behind when he chose to leave the Dallas Cowboys.

Gallup’s talents

In college, Michael Gallup played for the Colorado State Rams.

He had a two-year collegiate career, where he caught 176 balls for 2,690 yards and 21 touchdowns. In his senior season, Gallup was one of the three finalists for the Biletnikoff Award, making him one of the top receivers in all college Football last season. Gallup went to the Dallas Cowboys in the third round with the team’s third-round draft pick (81st pick overall).

The contract that Michael Gallup signed was a four-year deal worth around $3.3 million. Gallup ended up as the last of the 2018 Dallas Cowboys draft picks to sign his deal. Everyone else signed their deals last week ahead of rookie minicamp. The other draft picks include linebacker Leighton Vander Esch, offensive lineman Connor Williams, defensive end Dorance Armstrong Jr., tight end Dalton Schultz, quarterback Mike White, linebacker Chris Covington, wide receiver Cedrick Wilson, and running back Bo Scarbrough.