Wide Receiver Michael Gallup, a former Cowboy,
During the 2024 NFL offseason, the Baltimore Ravens haven’t added many players.
They had one major hit with Derrick Henry, but since then, they haven’t done much.
In the interim, almost ten players have left for other teams.
They will need to enter the free agent market shortly in order to replace all of those openings, and it appears that they may already have their sights set on one man.
The Ravens will arrange a meeting with former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Gallup, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The Cowboys’ Poor Investment
In 2022, the Cowboys took a significant gamble by signing Gallup.
During his first four years in the NFL, he had been a good receiver, recording a 1000-yard season in 2019. However, his fourth season in the league came to an end after nine games due to an ACL tear.
Despite the injuries, the Cowboys chose to sign him to a $62.5 million, five-year contract.
The Cowboys’ move did not turn out to be profitable.
Since his injury comeback, Gallup hasn’t produced the same results.
Since committing to that deal, three years in the past, Gallup has not had a season with 500 receiving yards.
He dropped down the WR depth chart in that period. The team traded for Brandin Cooks during the previous offseason, while CeeDee Lamb emerged as one of the top receivers in the league.
Dallas made the decision to release Gallup in order to free up contract space because he was not able to provide the Cowboys with a return on their investment and there were more skilled choices available on the team.
Gallup would make a terrific addition to the Ravens if they can sign him to a contract that is more affordable than the one he has had for the past several years, even with the way things ended for him in Dallas.
The Wide Receiver Situation for the Ravens
Currently in the offseason, the Ravens don’t appear to have a fixed plan for a wide receiver, although they may decide against signing a household name in 2024.
With Zay Flowers, who had 77 catches for 858 yards as a rookie last season, they seem to have already discovered their WR1.
It becomes a little murkier past him. One player they have is Rashod Bateman, a 2021 first-round selection. Despite his difficult first three seasons, the organization is optimistic that he can turn things around and become more of the receiver they anticipated when they drafted him.
Nelson Agholor, who performed admirably as a third option last season with 35 catches for 381 yards, was also re-signed.
They also feature one of the top tight ends in the league. For the majority of his career, Lamar Jackson has preferred to target former All-Pro Mark Andrews.
In 2024, he and Flowers will control the majority of the targets in Baltimore, but the team could still require another receiver that makes opponents take notice.
It seems unlikely that locating such guy will be a top priority in the draft given the number of departures they have had to deal with this summer.
Rather, they will have to locate someone within the rapidly diminishing pool of free agents.
That may make Gallup a compelling choice for the Ravens in their pursuit of the final component of their passing game.
