Cowboys release LB Leighton Vander Esch, WR Michael Gallup

Leighton Vander Esch's time in Dallas is over.

The Cowboys are releasing the veteran linebacker and wide receiver Michael Gallup, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported. Vander Esch's release came with a failed physical designation, and Gallup is being let go with a post-June 1 designation, the team later announced.

Vander Esch's career began in Dallas when the Cowboys spent the 19th-overall pick on him in the 2018 draft, giving them a sledgehammer of a linebacker who proved his value by earning a Pro Bowl nod and second-team All-Pro honors in his very first season. With Jaylon Smith signing an extension prior to the next season, Dallas appeared to have a stellar linebacking tandem for years to come.

Injuries, however, interrupted their ascension. Vander Esch's neck first gave him trouble during his sophomore season at Boise State, prompting him to spend the rest of his career wearing a cowboy collar. That protective measure wouldn't prevent him from experiencing a nerve issue in his neck in his second NFL season, forcing him to undergo corrective surgery and ending his campaign prematurely. A year later, a broken collarbone limited him to 10 games. And in the 2021 season, with Vander Esch finally enjoying a healthy season, the Cowboys decided to move on from Smith in favor of star rookie Micah Parsons, ending their partnership before they were ever able to play substantial snaps together.

Vander Esch's health troubles led the Cowboys to decline his fifth-year option, and after signing a one-year deal to return in 2022, another injury -- this time, a neck stinger -- cost him four games. A year later, yet another neck issue would cost him all but five contests in the 2023 season.

Now, he's headed to free