Cowboys Rookie WR Traeshon Holden Says Going Undrafted Felt Like ‘Disrespect

The Dallas Cowboys have shown their faith in their undrafted free agent class, guaranteeing money to eight of the nine players they signed after the draft, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer.

Leading the way with the highest guarantee at $234,000 each are Syracuse defensive back Alijah Clark and Syracuse linebacker Justin Barron.

In contrast, Oregon wide receiver Traeshon Holden signed with the Cowboys without any guaranteed money and received a team-low $3,000 signing bonus. Despite other teams showing interest, Holden chose to join Dallas to reunite with their new receivers coach, Junior Adams, who previously coached him at Oregon for the past two seasons.

Holden, a former four-star high school recruit who initially played at Alabama before transferring to Oregon, feels he has a point to prove after going undrafted. Reflecting on this, Holden told All City DLLS, “I’ve always been the kind to just work hard in general, but it’s just . . . I feel disrespected. So now it’s time to make it happen.” In his final season at Oregon in 2024, Holden recorded 45 receptions for 718 yards and five touchdowns in 13 games.

The Cowboys’ current wide receiver depth chart beyond CeeDee Lamb presents an opportunity for young players. Their decision not to draft a receiver but sign Holden and Texas Tech’s Josh Kelly as undrafted free agents signals their belief in finding potential talent in this group. Holden himself is confident, stating, “I feel like I was one of the best receivers, and now I can just show everybody I am.”