Fan favorite Cowboys undrafted rookie hit with harsh reality after disappointing details of contract are revealed
Since the Dallas Cowboys picked no wide receiver in the 2025 NFL Draft despite a painful need for one, fans were quick to grab a hold of a fan favorite out of the team's undrafted rookie class: Wide receiver Traeshon Holden out of Oregon. While Holden, a big-bodied receiver who can win with physicality, is […]
Since the Dallas Cowboys picked no wide receiver in the 2025 NFL Draft despite a painful need for one, fans were quick to grab a hold of a fan favorite out of the team's undrafted rookie class: Wide receiver Traeshon Holden out of Oregon.
While Holden, a big-bodied receiver who can win with physicality, is only one of two new faces at the wide receiver position alongside Josh Kelly from Texas Tech, the truth is he is extremely unlikely to make the roster and the latest contract details show why.
Per ESPN's Todd Archer, Holden's UDFA deal includes no guaranteed money. The second player with the lowest guarantee was Bruce Harmon at $35,000. Holden's $3,000 bonus was also the lowest of the class.
In recent years, the Cowboys UDFAs that have signed for high guarantees have been the likeliest to make the roster (watch out for Alijah Clark this year). Hunter Luepke and Brevyn Spann-Ford are recent examples. That adds up, too, as it usually means a bidding war took place between them and other franchises. The fact that Holden would agree to no guarantees suggests the market wasn't too hot for him.
A potential explanation for Holden's surprisingly low compensation could be related to character concerns that were discussed during the draft process, including a 2023 arrest and his spitting on an Ohio State player during the 2024 season, which led to a game ejection.
By signing with the Cowboys, Holden is getting a chance to compete for a roster spot, regardless of his contract. He's reuniting with his position coach at Oregon, Junior Adams.
Despite the Cowboys' need for a starting wide receiver to pair with CeeDee Lamb, the room is crowded on the lower end of the depth chart. Jonathan Mingo, Jalen Tolbert, and KaVontae Turpin are all very likely going to own a roster spot, which leaves little room for a UDFA. We'll see how training camp goes for the rookie.
"I’ve always been the type to just work hard, but I feel disrespected," Holden said last week. "So now it’s time to make it happen."
