The Las Vegas Raiders opened up training camp minus one veteran receiver — and it was news to them.
That’s because 28-year-old receiver Michael Gallup caught many by surprise by announcing his retirement right as training camp opened this week. According to The Athletic, Raiders general manager Tom Telesco said they were caught completely off guard.
“I didn’t see that one coming at all,” Telesco said, per The Athletic’s Tashan Reed. “That just kind of came up out of the blue. When I talked to him, it seemed like he had a pretty clear vision. He’s ready to move on. It’s too bad.”
The Raiders placed Gallup on the reserve/retired list on Tuesday, one day before the team’s first open practice on Wednesday.
The move raised some eyebrows. But it wasn’t until Telesco spoke that it became clear that the team was as surprised as anyone to see it happen.
Gallup signed with Las Vegas this offseason on a one-year deal following a six-year stint with the Dallas Cowboys.
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A third-round pick in 2018, Gallup looked like a star early in his career with the Cowboys. His best season came in 2019, when he caught 66 passes for 1,107 yards.
However, injuries have limited Gallup in recent seasons. The receiver has not reached 500 receiving yards on the year since 2020.
The Raiders still have Davante Adams and former Patriot Jakobi Meyers as their top receivers. However, the sudden loss of Gallup leaves the team suddenly thin at the position.
The team’s third receiver projects to be second-year player Tre Tucker, a third-round pick who caught 19 passes for 331 yards last season.
