The Dallas Cowboys enter the 2022 NFL season with lofty expectations following their disappointing playoff exit in 2021. Ahead of final 53-man roster cuts, Jerry Jones addressed the status of injured wide receiver Michael Gallup, who suffered a torn ACL in the final game of the regular season in 2021. Via Michael Gehlken, Jones revealed that the Cowboys do not intend to have Gallup start the season on the PUP list. That's significant because it opens Gallup up to the possibility of playing at any point during the first four weeks of the season.

The Cowboys will have to sacrifice one of their 53 roster spots in order to keep Gallup off the PUP list, but that's a risk they're willing to take. The young wide receiver stated earlier in the offseason that he doesn't expect to be available for the Week 1 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the team isn't ruling out the possibility of him returning at some point in the first four weeks of the year.

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Players on PUP at the start of the regular season are required to miss the first four games of the year. They are not able to practice with the team during that span, which would significantly hinder Gallup's ability to come back as sharp as possible.

The Cowboys are clearly hoping Gallup will be ready to go early in the season, hence the decision to sacrifice a roster spot in order to keep him off PUP. With Amari Cooper having been offloaded to the Cleveland Browns, Gallup figures to play a bigger role in the Cowboys' offense in 2022, taking over the WR2 role behind CeeDee Lamb.

The Cowboys rewarded Michael Gallup with a five-year, $57 million contract this offseason, including $27 million in guaranteed money. The 26-year-old is under contract through the 2026 season, but has a potential out after two years.