Undrafted free agent wideout Traeshon Holden had two main motivations for choosing to sign with the Dallas Cowboys. First, it was a chance to reconnect with his former Oregon position coach, Junior Adams, who had joined Brian Schottenheimer’s coaching team earlier in the offseason.

Additionally, Holden was well aware of the Cowboys’ need for wide receivers. “That was another reason why I made the decision,” Holden shared with reporters during rookie minicamp. “They didn’t draft a wide receiver. I believe I was among the best, and now I have the opportunity to prove it.”

Standing 6-foot-2 and known for his physical style, Holden admits to carrying a chip on his shoulder after watching 257 players get picked in the draft while he went unselected. He feels this “every day.” Although he already considers himself a diligent worker, going undrafted has pushed him to intensify his efforts to make NFL teams regret passing on him. “I’ve always been dedicated, but I feel slighted,” Holden stated. “Now it’s time to show what I can do.”

This offseason and preseason, Holden aims to secure a spot on the Cowboys’ roster despite being undrafted. To achieve this, he’ll need to be strategic when training camp begins. Analysts suggest that his lack of speed was a major factor in not being drafted. “He was the third wide receiver in both 2023 and 2024 with respectable stats, but he was held back by not having elite speed,” explained Tyler Forness, a draft expert from A to Z Sports. “Holden possesses good size, reach, and skills as a blocker, making him suitable for a possession receiver role and special teams, but his limited athleticism caps his potential as no more than a WR3.”

The silver lining for Holden is that the Cowboys have historically taken chances on rookie UDFAs. With a fresh coaching staff—where he likely has an advocate in Adams—there’s a new beginning for many young receivers on the squad.