When the Dallas Cowboys signed Michael Gallup to a five-year extension worth $62.5 million last March it was seen as a gamble.

The reason is that he suffered a torn ACL two months earlier, and those types of injuries usually take around a year before the player is back to form. Also, he missed seven games after the 2021 season opener with a calf strain.

Gallup came back to the field last October, just nine months after the injury. There were flashes, be he wasn't the same guy. 

However, the Cowboys believe that he will be, and they showed it by restructuring his deal to free up $7 million in cap space on Monday.

The Cowboys have restructured the contract of WR Michael Gallup, creating roughly $7 million in room. With an $11 million base salary, this was always the design of 5-year contract he signed last year. Team believes Gallup will be much-improved 2nd year removed from ACL surgery.

— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) March 13, 2023

What this does is lower Gallup's cap hit and spread it over the remainder of his deal. The Cowboys are reducing part of his base salary into a signing bonus.

With restructures of Dak Prescott and Zack Martin last week on top of Gallup the Cowboys have opened up about $38 million in cap space.

The third-round pick from 2018 got his bucks based on his product in his second and third seasons.

In 2019, Gallup totaled 1,107 yards on 66 receptions and six touchdowns. A season later, despite quarterback Dak Prescott missing 11 games with a fractured ankle, Gallup racked up 843 yards and five scores. 

This isn't a move to make a splash like signing free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. or to trade for DeAndre Hopkins, two players that have been linked to the Cowboys as of late. 

If Gallup does return to form, the Cowboys' offense just got that much better.