Dallas Cowboys 2022 NFL preseason round-up: Michael Gallup, free agent kickers, Dalton Schultz…
It looks like the Cowboys won’t have to face the wrath of their former teammate Michael Gallup this Saturday, as he’s been ruled out on the PUP list.
Michael Gallup could return sooner than thought
Wide receiver Michael Gallup has been expected to miss at least game 1, if not more as he recovers his ACL. That recovery process is going well and a Dallas Morning News report hints that Gallup could be ready to play even sooner than expected. This is great news for a Cowboys team that’s been through enough drama in their WR corps. Gallup, who is still on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list and unable to take part in practices, was seen running and cutting at training camp on Monday, a sight for sore eyes.
Dallas’ kicker issue: update
It’s not just wide receiver woes the Cowboys are dealing with. They’ve got kicker woes, too. With the two main hopes (Jonathan Garibay and Lirim Hajrullahu) for a new kicker disappointing for the majority of training camp, they are bringing in four free agents to work out this week: Brett Maher, Matt Ammendola, JJ Molson, and Cole Murphy. Maher actually played for the Cowboys back in 2019 and holds a record for the four longest field goals in team history, which includes a 69-yarder against the Eagles. Murphy was one of the best kickers in the USFL, Molson played well for UCLA before being picked up and released by the Packers, and Ammendola played a while with the Carolina Panthers and New York Jets.
Dalton Schultz’s future with the Cowboys: trade request?
Though the Cowboys and Dalton Schultz couldn’t come to an agreement and he will now be playing on the franchise tag, Schultz has said he wants to stay with the Cowboys. And the Cowboys should want to keep him.
In 2020, Schultz was Dak Prescott’s favorite target. He had 1,423 yards and 12 touchdowns over the last two seasons. And currently, they are lacking depth in the passing game. They released Blake Jarwin and now have just Jake Ferguson, Sean McKeon, and Jeremy Sprinkle lining up behind Schultz at tight end. However, Bleacher Report hinted pointed out that Schultz could be a potential trade request:
“The Dallas Cowboys could soon lose tight end Dalton Schultz after they failed to reach an agreement with him on a long-term extension this offseason. He is now set to play on the franchise tag this season after talks on a multiyear deal broke down over the summer. If the Cowboys don’t show interest in meeting Schultz’s extension demands or signal they plan to franchise-tag him again in 2023, he could force his way out by requesting a trade.”
Hopefully that doesn’t happen and the Cowboys can work out a deal that makes both parties happy before next season.
Randy Gregory won’t play in Broncos vs Cowboys preseason opener
The former Cowboys linebacker won’t be lining up against his old teammates this Saturday. The Cowboys open their preseason in Denver against the Broncos, but Gregory is still on the PUP list, recovering from a shoulder surgery he underwent in the offseason. Gregory left the Cowboys team after a dispute over the language in his contract pushed the wrong buttons. It was a big loss for the Cowboys, as Gregory is an extremely talented pass rusher. They have been spared from having to deal with that from the other side for now, and potentially forever, as the two teams likely won’t face each other again until 2025, though another preseason matchup could be possible before then. For now at least, Dallas’ offense is safe from his wrath.
Training camp sack video has Cowboys fan upset
On Sunday, the Cowboys o-line was having issues. They just couldn’t seem to protect Dak Prescott. Neither Tyron Smith nor Tyler Smith nor Zack Martin protected Dak from getting sacked (well, the training camp version of a sack anyway). In one rep, he was “sacked” three times, which angered a fan, who can be heard yelling, “Hey, how many times are you gonna get sacked, Dak?”
Honestly, what more could Dak have done there though? The offense has to protect the quarterback, and they simply didn’t. No more La’el Collins or Connor Williams means these guys need to step up, and quick. If they can’t do that, I smell a lot of trouble for Dallas’ offense and Prescott this season.