The Cowboys have done some maneuvering at the wide receiver position over the last few days. Veteran Amari Cooper was traded to the Cleveland Browns and received fifth- and sixth-round picks for the 2022 NFL draft on Saturday. A day later, they locked up another receiver long-term.

Michael Gallup, despite missing seven games with a calf strain and two more after tearing his ACL in Week 17, was signed to a five-year deal worth $62.5 million with $27 million in guaranteed money. This is a win for both sides involved.

Gallup had multiple lower-body injuries which can be concerning, which hurt his chances at getting more dollars. He probably could've gotten a deal worth around $17-18 million per year had he been healthy and productive in 2021. However, getting north of $12 million after playing half a season is a big win for Gallup.

Per ESPN's Todd Archer, part of Gallup's $27 million in guarantees includes a $10 million signing bonus. Bobby Belt of 105.3 The Fan noted that likely means the remaining $17 million will be Gallup's base salary over the first two years of the deal, clearing the Cowboys of guarantees after that time.

This makes it a two-year deal for Gallup essentially for $13.5 million per season which isn't bad money by any means for the No. 2 option in the passing game. Also, with the last three years of his deal pretty much voided, the Cowboys can get out of his deal after two years with minimal cap impact if things don't go as planned because guaranteed money is what NFL deals are all about.

The flip side is that if Gallup does perform well the Cowboys have locked him in at discount. Dallas gets a lot of scrutiny for how they do contracts but Gallup's was done brilliantly.

With more money comes a greater responsibility so Michael Gallup has to produce at a high level. Also, he has to be healthy, or as I mentioned earlier, the Cowboys will be able to cut bait after two seasons.

Gallup has a teammate that will make his quest to ball out a lot easier. CeeDee Lamb, who is coming off of a 1,100-yard season and a Pro Bowl appearance, is the new top option at receiver for the Cowboys and they firmly believe he's going to take a jump in year three. Now, he'll get more attention in coverage which means more one-on-one opportunities for Gallup.

The Cowboys have sent the message that they are focused on paying their younger stars who they drafted at receiver by trading Cooper. Also, with his departure, wide receiver has moved up the draft priority list for the Cowboys and they will likely add one in the first couple of rounds of the draft in April, giving them a very youthful core going forward at the position.

Feature image via Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports