The Dallas Cowboys had another 12-win campaign in 2022 and even won a playoff game. However, the season wasn't all sunshine and roses for one of their better players, and no, quarterback Dak Prescott isn't who I'm referring to.

Dallas has been one of the best offensive teams in the NFL for quite a while, and wide receiver Michael Gallup has helped with that. But over the last few seasons, his contributions have been sporadic.

Gallup missed seven games due to a calf strain in 2021. Unfortunately just before the season ended, he tore his ACL and didn't play for the Cowboys until Week 4 of last season. 

"It was definitely frustrating, just on my part. Nothing to do with the team or anything like that, but just me coming back. I mean that was tough. I never had a big injury like that. It was different. I had to work a little bit harder. I had to do some things that I've never had to do. I could normally just walk out on the field and play. Couldn't do that."-Michael Baca, NFL.com

Gallup was back in action just nine months after his ACL tear. Every player doesn't heal the same, and there's been cases where guys have come back from similar injuries and start performing on a high level instantly, like Adrian Peterson who ran for 2,097 yards and won league MVP honors in 2012 after his torn ACL.

Being the good player that Gallup is, he had times when he made big plays last season. It didn't take a rocket scientist to see that he wasn't as explosive or sure of himself, though, and he only registered 39 receptions for 424 yards with two touchdowns. 

Of course, a lot of that is physical but it's more of a mental thing. 

"I was thinking it, but I didn't want to say it. If you say it, you believe it," Gallup said. "It's just like that. I really didn't want to say it. I had those thoughts, but you gotta block them out."

What the Cowboys are hoping is that Gallup can muster up enough to be the guy, or very close to, that put 1,100 yards playing alongside Amari Cooper in 2019. Now that Dallas brought in Brandin Cooks via trade, and with All-Pro CeeDee Lamb in the mix, Gallup will have more opportunities to show that he can be a big factor again with the attention they will draw.

If anyone thinks Gallup doesn't feel like he'll be back like he never left, they better guess again. 

"I'm very confident I'll be that guy, for sure. Very confident. It just feels different. It's kind of like in the air. I ain't going to lie to you. I'm smiling every time I walk in that facility."-Todd Archer, ESPN

That's music to the Cowboys' ears.

Gallup isn't a huge speed guy and he's not going to impress anyone with refined route-running or anything. However, his ability to highpoint the ball, make contested catches, and use his instincts once he has the ball in his hands are extremely valuable and will put an already potent Cowboys offense on another level when he's on the field.