Dallas Cowboys UDFA who is reuniting with former coach could have inside track to 53-man roster
It's not easy to make a 53-man roster in the NFL as an undrafted free agent signing but new Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Traeshon Holden could have an inside track to a roster spot. And he will need it: Holden is a player who was largely held back in the Draft process because of his speed […]
It's not easy to make a 53-man roster in the NFL as an undrafted free agent signing but new Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Traeshon Holden could have an inside track to a roster spot.
And he will need it: Holden is a player who was largely held back in the Draft process because of his speed (ran a 4.57 at the Combine, eighth worst for WRs). If he's to earn a spot on the team, he'll have to prove he can win other ways.
"Holden had an up-and-down college football career, starting at Alabama before transferring to Oregon where his production saw an uptick," says A to Z Sports' NFL Draft analyst Tyler Forness. "He was the third WR in both 2023 and 2024 with solid numbers, but one thing was holding him back: lack of top end speed. Holden does have really nice size, length, and chops as a blocker to be a possession receiver and special teamer, but the lack of plus-athleticism puts a ceiling on him as nothing more than a potential WR3."
Though special teams will go a long way in convincing the Cowboys (or not) to keep him on the 53, Holden's advantage lies in the fact that Junior Adams is the team's wide receiver coach. Adams coached Holden at Oregon as the team's co-offensive coordinator and WR coach.
Now granted, knowing the coach isn't going to be the be-all, end-all but an overhauled coaching staff on offense means it's a clean slate for the likes of Jalen Brooks, Ryan Flournoy, Jalen Cropper, and others who have been in Dallas for longer than Holden.
Despite his speed not being top-notch, Holden believes he is more than just a big-sized target for quarterbacks.
"There are a lot of cornerbacks in the league who can match my size," Holden told The Draft Network earlier in April. "I love to use strength, quickness, and my feet to my advantage in coverage. You see a lot of bigger receivers like me, but a lot of them don’t move as well as I do."
Currently, the wide receiver room sits as follows:
- CeeDee Lamb
- Jalen Tolbert
- KaVontae Turpin
- Ryan Flournoy
- Jalen Brooks
- Jonathan Mingo
- Parris Campbell
- Jalen Cropper
- Seth Williams
- Kelvin Harmon
- Traeshon Holden (UDFA)
- Josh Kelly (UDFA)
